r 


TH 


E 


FOREMAN    OF 
THE    JA6 


THE    FOREMAN    OF 
THE  JA6 


A   NOVEL 


BY 

E.    JOY    JOHNSON 


FEBRUARY,  1911 


WYOMING    PUBLISHING    CO, 

NEW   YORK 


Entered  According  to  Act  of  Congress  in  the  Year,  1911, 

By  MRS.  LAWRKNCE  JOHNSON 
in  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  Washington,  D.  C. 


Entered  at  Stationers  Hall,  London,  Eng. 
[All  rights,  including  dramatic  privileges,  reserved.] 


Set  In  Type,  Electrotyped,  Printed  and  Bound  Feb.,  1911,  by  the 
PRINTERS'  INK  PRESS,  45  Rose  Street,  New  York,  N.  Y. 

Illustrations  from  Original  Drawings  by  Mr.  E.  W.  GOLLINGS. 

Color  Plates  Made  and  Printed  In  Three  Colors  by  the 
PRINTERS'  INK  PRKSS,  45  Rose  Street,  New  York,  N.  Y. 


2136371 


THE    FOREMAN    OF 
THE    JA6 


CONTENTS 
CHAPTER  I. 

JACK  RANDOLPH     25 

CHAPTER  II. 

THE  BRIDE    3^ 

CHAPTER  III. 

IN  THE  GRAY  WOLF'S  DEN 47 

CHAPTER  IV. 
MRS.  LESLIE'S  GUEST 52 

CHAPTER  V. 

THE  FLIGHT  OF  SATAN •' 60 

CHAPTER  VI. 

TRACY  AND   PATCHEN    7° 


CHAPTER  VII. 

IN  DUTY  BOUND   ...............................  8l 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

THE  ROUND-UP    ................................  91 

CHAPTER  IX. 

CHAS.   LESLIE,  JR.    .............................  113 

CHAPTER  X. 

THE  HANGING  OF  DIAMOND  L.  SLIM    .............  123 

CHAPTER  XL 

THE  MYSTERIOUS  BRAND    .......................  131 


CHAPTER  XII. 

TUBERCULER  THE  TENDERFOOT    ..................  138 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

THE  RESISTING  SIOUX    .........................  I5O 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

THE  STAMPEDE    ...............................  l66 


CHAPTER  XV. 
HARRY'S  LAST  ROUND-UP  ......................  175 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

THE    WINNING    HAND    .........................  I§2 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

TRACY   PLAYS  DETECTIVE 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

THE    NEW    NEIGHBORS    .........................  2OI 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

A  PICTURE  IN  THE  CLOUDS    ......  .  ..............  2O8 

CHAPTER  XX. 

A   REVERY    ....................................  2I5 

CHAPTER  XXL 

AN  ABSORBED  LISTENER    ........................  225 

CHAPTER  XXII. 

THE   ROBBERY   OF   LARAMIE   PLAINS    ..............  232 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

HOME    AGAIN 245 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 

TRAILING  THE  HORSE  THIEF 250 

CHAPTER  XXV. 

TWO    CONFESSIONS    259 

CHAPTER  XXVI. 

TO  THE  EAST  COAST 265 

CHAPTER  XXVII. 

CONCLUSION     274 


INDEX  TO  ILLUSTRATIONS 

PACING    PAGE 

With    a    few    hard,    high    jumps,    he    swapped 

ends    completely 34 

"Satan!  Satan!  Stop!  Stop!"  pleaded  the  girl 62 

Then  he  heard:  "One,  two!"   110 

The  herd  had  "stampeded."   172 

"Don't  you  see  it?"   said  he  in  a  voice  hoarse 

with    emotion 214 

"You  must  leave  here  or  I  shall  not  go,"  said  Jack 262 


TO 

THE    PEOPLE   OF    THE   WEST 

AMONG   WHOM   I   HAVE  SPENT  THE   BEST 

YEARS     OF     MY    LIFE,     THAN      WHOM 

THERE  IS   NONE  BETTER,  A  PEOPLE 

WHOSE  FRIENDSHIP  IS  GENUINE, 

WHOSE    LOVE    OF  THE   WEST 

IS      DEEP      ROOTED     AND 

WHOSE  PATRIOTISM   IS 

REAL      AND      TRUE. 


PREFACE. 

This  book  contains  for  the  most  part,  incidents  in 
my  life  as  the  wife  of  a  stockman  in  the  wild  range 
land,  and  is  actual  history  of  the  eastern  part  of 
Wyoming. 

The  life  of  the  frontier  range,  as  I  have  known  it 
since  childhood,  is  no  more.  The  thousands  of  cattle 
trailed  from  the  southern  ranges  to  those  of  the  north, 
have  been  divided  into  small  herds  and  in  the  place  of 
the  long-horned,  slim-bodied,  racy  looking  dogie  of 
the  yesteryears,  we  find  the  slick,  red,  short-horned, 
well  bred,  slow-moving,  harmless  steer. 

Yet  we  of  the  old  west  do  not  appreciate  the  change 
no  matter  how  much  we  are  assured  that  it  is  better  so. 
But  it  must  come — the  picturesque  cowboy  with  all 
his  earthly  belongings  in  his  "war-bag"  and  tied  on  his 
pack  horse,  must  give  way  to  him  of  the  present  day 
with  his  mail-ordered  saddle,  long-shanked  spurs, 
thirty-two  or  thirty-eight  calibred  pistol  and  imitation 
Stetson  hat.  We  of  the  real  frontier  smile  and  long 
to  see  him  on  his  first  bronch!  For  the  sake  of  the 


good  old  days  I  have  tried  to  picture  him  as  you  (the 
cowboys  of  the  real  frontier)  and  I  know  him. 

If  you  are  somewhat  disappointed,  have  a  little  pa- 
tience, for  the  years  I  might  have  spent  in  book  learn- 
ing and  society  polish,  were  spent  in  the  saddle,  and  in 
the  study  of  Nature  and  her  great  glory,  and  the  time 
I  might  have  been  waltzing  to  the  strains  of  silver 
wired  orchestras,  I  danced  to  a  tune  on  a  lone  stringed 
fiddle,  with  the  jingle  of  spurs  as  accompaniment.  And 
to  you  who  will  truly  enjoy  this  book,  let  me  say: 
Now  that  I  know  both,  I  would  choose  the  old  stead- 
fast, big-hearted  friends  of  the  jingling  spur. 

E.  JOY  JOHNSON. 


PREFACE. 

This  tale  of  love  and  adventure,  dealing  as  it  does 
with  that  State  over  which  I  have  the  honor  to  preside 
as  Governor,  is  strongly  recommended  by  me  not  alone 
to  my  own  people  but  to  the  entire  West. 

It  is  a  simple  story,  simply  told,  by  a  woman  who 
deserves  great  credit  for  her  ability  in  presenting  a 
picture  of  our  section  of  the  country  that  is  true  to  life. 

The  adventurous  and  rugged  pioneers,  who,  un~ 
conquered  by  other  foes,  were  ever  at  war  with  the 
ancient  wilderness,  pushing  the  frontier  of  the  white 
man  farther  and  farther  west,  are  now  all  but  a  thing 
of  the  past.  In  the  onward  march  of  civilization  they 
gave  way  to  large  cattle  owners  and  ranchmen.  The 
days  of  the  latter,  with  all  the  pomp  and  glory  which 
gathers  around  the  name  and  fame  of  the  cowboy  of 
that  era,  are  gradually  giving  way  to  a  still  later  civi- 
lization. The  cowboy  himself  is  all  but  a  thing  of  the 
past  and  with  his  exit  the  western  stage  is  cleared  of 
its  most  picturesque  character.  From  the  cowboy  to 
the  plow  boy  is  a  big  jump  to  our  minds,  but  in  the 
annals  of  time  the  era  of  his  day  will  be  as  a  night  in 
the  passing. 

The  cowboy  was  a  product  of  the  West.  No  other 
country  ever  produced  his  like  nor  anything  approach- 
ing his  class.  Fearless,  fun  loving  and  reckless,  a  type 
of  man  who  while  he  has  passed  on  in  the  natural 
order  of  all  things  material,  has  nevertheless  left  his 
mark  for  all  time  on  the  people  of  the  West.  Honest, 
true  and  brave,  the  heritage  he  has  handed  down  will 


serve  to  strengthen  us  through  the  changes  and  trials 
that  are  rapidly  creeping  into  our  Western  life.  When 
the  day  of  the  small  farm  owner  arrives,  as  it  is  rap- 
idly approaching,  new  experiences  must  be  undergone, 
new  vicissitudes  must  be  met,  new  problems  must  be 
solved. 

It  is  in  solving  these  problems  that  the  voice  of  the 
old  cowboy  speaking  through  his  descendants,  whether 
they  be  bankers,  ranchmen  or  teachers,  will  prove  a 
tower  of  strength  to  guide  the  course  of  the  people  of 
this  great  western  empire  so  that  it  may  become  not 
alone  the  granery  and  the  beef  and  mutton  storehouse 
of  the  world,  but  the  greatest  manufacturing  center 
of  the  known  Universe.  Here  we  have  the  soil,  the 
water  and  the  railroads.  And  we,  the  people  who 
will  make  this  promised  land  all  that  I  hope  to  see 
it  become,  have  in  our  veins  the  blood  of  the  cowboys 
of  the  past.  The  heritage  they  have  bequeathed  to  us 
will  make  itself  a  force  for  all  that  means  BEST  in  the 
annals  of  civilization.  Our  duty  is  to  develop  this  land 
and  fulfill  our  destiny.  We  can  have  no  higher  in- 
centive than  the  knowledge  that  we,  the  posterity  of 
the  men  whom  Mrs.  Johnson  has  so  accurately  pic- 
tured, descend  from  a  race  of  men  whose  equal  the 
world  never  saw  before  and  probably  will  never  wit- 
ness again. 


Governor  of  Wyoming. 


THE    FOREMAN    OF 
THE    JA6 


CHAPTER  I. 

JACK  RANDOLPH. 

"What  is  there  about  this  wild,  free  life  that 
compels  a  fellow  to  give  up  luxury,  home  and  friends 
for  such  hardships  as  these?"  Jack  wondered,  as  he 
tried  in  vain  to  sleep,  but  grew  colder  every  minute. 
His  bed,  consisting  of  slicker  and  half  wet  saddle 
blankets,  did  not  afford  much  protection  on  a  wet 
Spring  night,  with  the  wind  blowing  as  only  it  can 
blow  over  a  Wyoming  prairie. 

"If  I'd  the  smallest  notion  that  my  bronch  was 
a-goin'  to  get  hurt  an'  play  out  with  me,  I'd  never  used 
those  last  few  matches  to  light  no  cigarette." 

Suddenly  he  remembered  that  the  pocket  where  he 
usually  kept  matches  had  a  hole  in  it,  and  feeling  the 
bottom  of  his  coat,  found  to  his  delight  a  few  had 
worked  through  the  hole  and  down  between  the  lining 
and  the  outside.  Before  taking  them  out  he  stepped 
gingerly,  till  he  kicked  against  a  good  sized  piece  of 

25 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

dry  pitch  pine  that  he  had  noticed  before  darkness 
set  in. 

When  the  fire  grew  bright  he  had  no  trouble  in  find- 
ing plenty  of  fuel  for  he  had  halted  in  the  thickest 
part  of  the  pine  hills.  When  he  was  warm  and  dry  he 
attempted  to  sleep,  hoping  this  would  alleviate  the 
pangs  of  hunger.  He  succeeded  in  getting  into  a  doze 
when  the  blood-curdling,  long-drawn  howls  of  a  gray 
wolf  filled  the  air. 

Jack  had  shot  all  his  shells  but  two  at  some  coyotes 
the  day  before.  He  knew  the  wolf  would  not  come 
close  enough  to  him  to  kill  while  the  fire  burned,  and 
shot  once  to  scare  it  away  so  it  wouldn't  bother  his 
saddle  horse,  then  lay  down  again,  but  before  he  got 
a  chance  to  sleep,  he  heard  heavy  footsteps  crushing 
the  dead  brush  not  more  than  a  hundred  yards  away. 

"What  can  that  be  ?  I  know  there  weren't  a  critter 
close  enough  to  have  come  into  the  hills  since  dark, 
and  the  horses  that  run  on  this  range  are  too  wild  to 
come  that  close  to  the  fire.  I  wish  I  hadn't  shot  at 
that  wolf — I  might  a-found  better  use  for  that 
cartridge  seein'  this  one  is  snapped." 

As  he  put  the  useless  gun  back  in  his  scabbard,  he 
looked  in  the  direction  from  whence  had  come  the 
sound,  and  two  great  eyes  peered  at  him  from  the 
blackness  beyond  the  fire. 

26 


JACK   RANDOLPH 

"Mountain  lion!"  he  exclaimed.  "I'll  not  sit  still 
an'  let  you  jump  on  me,  anyway,  you  fiery-eyed 
sneak!"  Starting  forward,  he  saw  another  pair  of 
eyes  close  to  the  first  ones,  but  did  not  stop.  "Two  to 
one  isn't  fair,"  he  growled  to  himself,  "but  if  it's  a  die, 
I'll  meet  it  a-fightin*.  That  ain't  no  mountain  lion. 
Them  eyes  are  too  high  from  the  ground." 

His  saddle-horse  neighed  and  the  possessor  of  one 
pair  of  the  terrible  eyes  raised  its  head  and  answered. 

"Horses,  by  gosh!  Who'd  ever  thought  of  horses 
a-hangin'  in  this  part  of  the  country,  that  was  tame 
enough  to  come  pokin'  around  a  campfire !  I'll  get  my 
rope  and  try  my  hand  a  settin'  one  o'  them  brutes  to- 
morrow, 'cause  I  can't  ride  mine  sixty  miles  to  the 
ranch  with  that  'ere  sprained  leg." 

The  next  morning  he  had  no  trouble  in  catching  one 
of  his  midnight  visitors,  after  which  he  turned  his 
own  tired,  lame  horse  loose  so  it  could  rest  and  then 
follow  him  to  the  ranch  of  its  own  free  will.  He 
found  the  horses  were  old  saddle  ones,  having  several 
saddle  marks  on  their  backs  and  were  used  to  hanging 
around  close  to  camp.  Jack  laughed  heartily  now  as 
he  realized  what  a  huge  joke  on  him  the  whole  affair 
had  been. 

"It's  a  mighty  fine  thing  I  didn't  have  any  good 
cartridges.  I'd  likely  killed  one  horse  and  scared 

27 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

tuther  one  away,  an*  I'd  been  hoofin'  it  to  the  JA6 
now.  I'd  about  as  soon  starve  as  to  walk  that  far. 

"Yes,  howl,  you  gray  murderous  brute!  I  can 
laugh  at  you  now  because  there's  no  fierce  eyes  starin' 
at  me  out  of  the  blackness  of  the  night  among  the 
pines.  I  don't  believe  I'm  a  coward — I  ain't  never 
been  afraid  of  nothin'  or  nobody  in  a'  even  break,  but 
this  comin'  up  on  a  feller  in  the  dark,  lonesome  pines 
that  sigh  an'  shiver,  moan  an  accompaniment  to  the 
howling  of  the  gray  an'  the  mockin'  laughin  bark  of 
the  coyotes  as  they  make  merry  over  a  feast  of  young, 
tender  veal,  makes  a  feller  sit  up  and  take  notice.  ^ 

"It's  nearly  a  week  since  I  left  the  ranch;  it  must 
be  time  for  Charles  an'  his  bride  to  arrive.  I  hope 
they  won't  get  to  the  ranch  till  I  have  changed  these 
muddy  duds  and  filled  myself  plum  full  of  grub,  once 
more." 

The  thought  of  food  made  him  dizzy  and  he  was 
compelled  to  draw  his  belt  a  little  tighter. 

"This  is  a  lonely,  God-forsaken  country  for  a  man, 
though  to  a  woman  it  must  be  a  gol'  darned  sight 
worse,  but  when  they  get  the  prairie  fever  in  their 
blood  they  would  rather  be  lonesome  than  live  back 
among  the  hills  and  the  forests. 

"I  have  seen  some  rough  life  an'  a  good  sized  num- 
ber of  hardships,  but  I'd  rather  take  the  bitter  with 

28 


JACK   RANDOLPH 

the  sweet  out  here,  than  suffer  with  the  over-dress 
disease  of  society  guys  in  that  damp,  fog-laden  air  of 
the  civilized  people. 

"  'Civilized  people/  that's  what  they  call  themselves, 
and  we  are  heathens,  but  what  I  remember  of  those 
same  civilized  people  gives  me  the  idea  that  the  mis- 
sionaries that  come  to  the  wild,  wild  West  are  needed 
much  more  in  the  country  they  left.  Do  they  feed  the 
stranger  within  their  gates  and  send  him  away  re- 
joicing? Do  they  leave  their  houses  open  and  tell  the 
traveler  to  help  himself  ?  Do  they  dare  to  trust  their 
neighbor  or  friend  to  put  their  individual  mark  on 
their  property  as  does  the  western  rancher  ? 

"No  sir — never!  They  tell  their  young  sons  and 
daughters  we  cowboys  are  low  gamblers  and  drunk- 
ards !  We  play  in  the  gambling  rooms  and  play  our 
own  hard  earned  money, — they  play  behind  dark  cur- 
tains and  play  not  only  their  own,  but  their  employer's 
money.  We  go  up  to  the  bar  and  drink  with  the  boys. 
They  drink  in  the  cafes  with  women  and  young  girls ; 
then  brag  at  their  club  of  the  fearful  work  the  red 
wine  did.  When  a  range  man  has  such  a  story  to  tell, 
he  whispers  it  to  the  stars,  then  feels  his  neck  to  see 
if  it  is  not  stretching  away  beyond  his  collar. 

"G'wan!  You  shamble- footed  mustang!  If  you 
don't  do  better'n  this  I'll  have  to  come  before  the  gaze 

29 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

of  the  new  lady  in  these  gumbo  trimmed  togs,  and  go 
to  bed  half  hungry,  'cause  I'd  be  ashamed  to  eat  a  real 
fill  in  front  of  her." 

When  his  mind  wandered  to  the  gentler  sex,  his 
hand  unconsciously  wandered  to  his  pocket  which 
held  a  small,  worn  memorandum  book.  It  had,  be- 
tween its  yellow  pages,  a  tiny  picture  of  a  curly-head- 
ed little  girl  of  about  ten  summers. 

"I  surely  would  like  to  know  your  name,  little  one ; 
you  likely  will  never  know  how  much  this  tin  picture 
of  yours  has  helped  me  to  keep  straight/' 

Laughing,  he  thought  of  the  day  he  had  given  up 
his  task  as  wrangler  for  the  outfit,  and  how,  when  he 
had  staked  his  horse  just  outside  of  town,  he  wandered 
to  the  depot  to  watch  the  train  come  in.  When  it 
stopped,  a  tall  gentleman  and  a  little  girl  with  big 
blue  eyes  and  golden  curls,  stepped  to  the  platform. 
While  the  gentleman  was  shaking  hands  and  greeting 
some  of  the  men  who  seemed  very  pleased  to  see  him, 
the  little  girl  came  shyly  up  to  Jack  and  remarked: 
"That's  a  very  pretty  whip  you  have,"  pointing  to  a 
colored  horse-hair  quirt  which  he  held  in  his  hand. 

"Would  you  like  to  have  it?"  he  stammered. 

"Yes ;  I  should  like  it  very  much.  " 

He  handed  it  to  her  and  she  gave  him  something  in 
an  envelope. 

30 


JACK    RANDOLPH 

"You  may  have  this  to  remember  me  by,  for  I'm 
sure  you  must  be  a  good  boy." 

"Have  I  been  a  'good  boy,' "  he  thought,  as  he  put 
the  book  back  in  his  pocket. 

"Some  day  I  may  find  you,  little  girl,  and  if  you 
don't  change  your  mind  about  me,  there  may  be  a 
home-coming  for  you  and  me  just  like  the  one  on  the 
ranch  to-day." 

Day  dreams!  How  many  castles  have  you  built  in 
one  breath,  only  to  be  torn  down  in  the  next? 

When  he  rode  into  the  corral  he  was  somewhat  re- 
lieved to  learn  that  Charles  Leslie  and  his  wife  would 
not  arrive  until  the  next  day,  and  he  would  have 
plenty  of  time  to  "eat  and  clean"  to  his  entire  satis- 
faction. 

When  Jack  Randolph,  foreman  of  the  JA6  outfit, 
which  was  located  on  the  prairie  about  forty  miles 

from  the  little  town  of  L ,  Wyoming, 

emerged  from  the  house  next  morning,  he  looked 
more  like  his  real  self,  for  he  had  rested  well  and  'was 
good  to  look  at — tall,  muscular  and  straight,  with 
brown  hair  and  blue  eyes  that  were  deep  and  steady. 

"Charles  could  not  have  chosen  a  better  day  for  his 
home-coming,"  he  said  to  Peddy  as  they  went  to  the 
barn  to  make  sure  the  horses  were  properly  cared  for 
before  eating  their  breakfast. 

31 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

The  chinook  winds  had  melted  the  last  of  the  snow, 
and  the  water  ran  in  every  draw  and  valley.  Wild 
geese  were  often  sighted  as  they  proclaimed  their 
presence  with  "Honk-honk,"  while  they  flew  in  regu- 
lar triangle  toward  the  snow-lands. 

On  the  sunny  slopes  of  the  rolling  country  the  pure 
white  "prairie  stars"  or  wild  crocus  lifted  their  dainty 
faces  to  the  myriads  of  meadow-larks  that  topped  the 
sage-brush,  and  swelled  their  beautiful  yellow  throats 
near  to  bursting,  with  their  praises  for  the  golden 
rays  of  the  spring  sun. 

When  breakfast  was  over  the  excitement  began,  for 
Jack  had  promised  the  "Boss"  that  when  he  returned 
with  his  bride  he  would  find  the  ranch  house  shining 
like  a  hand  forged  spur.  A  hand  forged  spur  would 
not  seem  much  to  some  people,  but  to  a  cowpuncher, 
it  was — -with  its  flowers  of  inlaid  silver — a  thing  to  be 
proud  of  and  kept  bright  and  shining. 

All  did  their  best  to  help  make  good  the  promise  of 
the  foreman,  Jack  Randolph,  to  "slick  her  up"  to  fit  the 
occasion,  which  in  itself,  was  enough  to  cause  a  con- 
siderable stir  in  any  bachelor  abode.  Every  man  on 
the  ranch  was  cleaning  to  the  best  of  his  ability  the 
part  assigned  to  him  by  Slim,  the  cook,  whom  they  de- 
cided ought  to  know  more  about  housecleaning  than 
the  rest. 

32 


JACK   RANDOLPH 

Dishes  were  washed  and  scoured,  floors  were 
scrubbed,  bed  clothes  were  aired  and  shaken,  while 
Slim  was  doing  big  things  in  the  kitchen,  cooking  ac- 
cording to  his  idea,  "suthing  a  girl  could  eat"  like 
boiled  beans,  bacon,  baking  powder  biscuits — good 
solid  ones—dried  prunes  and  some  strong  coffee  to 
brace  her  up  after  the  long  ride  from  the  station. 

All  preparations  being  completed,  the  boys  strayed 
to  the  corral  where  a  few  rather  "snorty"  bronchos 
were  "snubbed"  or  tied.  These  would  afford  them  a 
little  amusement  until  the  arrival  of  the  Boss  and  his 
bride. 

A  particularly  handsome  dapple  gray  horse,  the 
most  vicious  of  the  bunch,  was  selected  for  the  fun. 
He  was  a  fine,  well  built  animal,  with  keen,  intelligent 
eyes  and  a  prominent  NT  brand  on  his  left  shoulder. 
They  called  him  "N  T"  on  account  of  his  brand  being 
an  odd  one  in  the  herd,  he  having  been  purchased  from 
a  neighbor,  who  had  no  "buster"  who  would  tackle 
the  "wild  beauty." 

After  a  struggle  for  freedom,  "N  T"  was  success- 
fully saddled  and  bridled,  ready  for  his  mount.  Now 
the  question  arose  as  to  who  should  be  the  conqueror, 
or  the  conquered,  of  the  gray  terror. 

Alfred  Leslie  and  Jack  Randolph  were  adepts  in 
this  fine  art  of  the  plains,  and  each  was  ready  to 

33 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

climb  the  gray,  so  in  order  to  avoid  any  hard  feeling, 
straws  were  drawn  and  it  fell  to  the  lot  of  Jack. 

He  coiled  the  rope  or  lariat  so  it  could  be  con- 
veniently held  in  one  hand  with  the  reins,  then  coming 
slowly  and  easily  up  to  the  gray  and  slapping  him 
gently  with  the  free  hand,  and  adopting  a  swift,  easy 
movement,  before  the  horse  realized  what  had  hap- 
pened, he  was  up  in  the  middle  of  him.  For  a  minute 
the  bronch  stood  still, — then  he  seemed  to  realize  that 
the  frightful  thing  which  had  made  him  captive  had 
perched  itself  on  his  back.  For  only  a  minute  did 
he  stop  and  look,  then  the  fight  began. 

With  one  great  snort,  high  into  the  air  he  went, 
then  with  all  four  legs  stiffened  like  iron  pegs,  and 
four  feet  drawn  close  together,  he  struck  the  ground 
with  a  mighty  jolt.  Some  one  added  to  the  insults 
poured  upon  him  by  striking  him  on  the  back  with  the 
end  of  a  lariat,  which  sent  him  around  the  corral  with 
a  hump  under  the  saddle  like  a  miniature  rainbow, 
and  he  bawled  like  a  calf  that  had  a  red  hot  branding 
iron  pressed  close  to  his  side.  At  first  it  had  been 
fear, — now  came  the  mad  desire  to  conquer  the  some- 
thing that  sat  so  calm  and  steady  on  his  back  and 
would  not  be  gotten  rid  of.  For  a  few  steps  he 
pranced  quietly  around  the  corral,  then  dipping  quick- 
ly first  on  one  side,  then  the  other  till  the  feet  of  the 

34 


With  a  few  hard,  high  jumps,  he  swapped  ends  completely 


JACK   RANDOLPH 

rider  barely  escaped  the  ground,  with  a  few  hard  high 
jumps,  swapped  ends  completely  before  striking  the 
earth  where  he  stood,  and  turning  his  head,  looked  at 
his  rider  as  though  to  say,  "What !  you  still  there  ?" 

A  few  pricks  from  the  sharp  rowels  of  the  spurs 
brought  him  to  the  realization  that  some  new  feat 
must  be  tried  if  he  would  free  himself  of  this  hated 
captivity  and  once  more  gallop  over  the  broad  prairie 
unfettered. 

With  a  wild  dash  he  made  straight  for  the  heavy 
pole  fence,  but  before  he  reached  it,  his  rider  had 
guessed  his  trick  and  swung  himself  easily  off  on  the 
other  side,  and  had  swung  himself  as  easily  back  into 
the  saddle,  before  he  could  dash  away  into  the  clear. 

With  a  mighty  effort  the  foam  flecked  animal  shook 
himself,  and  made  ready  for  the  last  great  attempt  for 
freedom.  Around  the  high  enclosure  he  trotted  once, 
twice,  three  times,  then  with  a  few  terrific  jumps  he 
fell  like  a  dead  thing,  but  his  rider  stood  up  astride  of 
him,  seemingly  larger  and  mightier  than  ever.  He 
had  fought  hard,  but  had  been  beaten,  and  with  a 
pitiful  nicker  he  laid  his  head  in  the  dust  and  gave 
up  the  fight.  So  interested  had  they  all  been  in  the 
struggle  for  supremacy  between  man  and  beast,  that 
they  had  not  discovered  the  "Boss"  and  his  timid 
little  bride  had  been  spectators  of  the  whole  affair. 

35 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE  BRIDE. 

Charles  Leslie  called  them  all  up  to  the  side  of  the 
buckboard  and  then  went  through  a  western  form  of 
introduction,  in  the  following  manner: 

"Boys,  this  is  my  wife.  Florence,  this  is  Jack,  the 
steady,  so  called  because  he  is  not  admitted  to  the  bar 
in  town ;"  but  a  few  lines  between  Jack's  eyes  and  a 
considerable  show  of  embarrassment,  checked  the 
compliments  about  to  be  showered  upon  him  by  the 
"Boss,"  for  humanizing  the  keeper  of  a  saloon  who 
had  secured  the  entire  roll  of  a  fellow  cowboy  and 
was  ejecting  him  by  force  of  sole  leather. 

Jack,  after  acknowledging  the  introduction,  made 
his  way  to  the  bunk  house.  Harry  Stanley,  the  hand- 
some man  of  the  ranch,  looked  rather  longingly  at  the 
dainty  little  woman ;  then  shaking  hands  awkwardly, 
turned  and  followed  Jack's  tracks  to  the  bunk  house. 

With  a  glint  of  mischief  in  his  big  brown  eyes  and 
a  broad  grin  on  his  face,  Brownie  stepped  up  and  gave 

36 


THE    BRIDE 

the  little  gloved  hand  an  airy  shake,  and  said  it  was 
quite  a  treat  to  see  "a  lady"  out  there  and  he  hoped 
she  would  like  the  free,  wild  country,  at  which  she 
turned,  and  looking  up  into  her  husband's  eyes,  re- 
marked : 

"Oh,  I  am  sure  I  shall."  Brownie  said  to  Jack  after 
climbing  into  his  bunk  that  night,  "If  a  girl  would 
look  at  me  like  that,  I  would  like  it  in  hades  or  any 
where  else  east  of  the  old  Missouri,"  and  after  a  little 
quiet  thinking,  finished  with:  "She  certainly  does 
look  lovin'  at  the  boss,"  and  grew  very  grave  upon 
being  accused  by  Harry  of  falling  in  love  with  her, 
then  hesitating  a  little,  he  said,  "What  is  she  anyway 
— the  Bossy,  Bossess,  or  the  Mrs.  Boss?"  at  which 
Jack  informed  them  she  was  "Mrs.  Leslie,"  but  they 
all  stared  in  surprise  at  him  and  turned  away  in  dis- 
gust. 

Peddy  had  remained  in  the  corral  with  "N  T"  in  order 
to  escape  the  ordeal  of  being  introduced  before  the 
other  fellows,  and  wondered  if  Mrs.  Leslie  would  come 
up  and  talk  to  him  as  she  used  to  when  a  little  girl  at 
school,  for  Charley  had  been  her  "beau"  then,  and  she 
had  been  proud  of  the  rough,  honest  boy  who  was 
now  her  husband.  He  had  tied  the  horse  and  was 
walking  to  the  house  rather  dreading  the  meeting, 
when,  on  looking  up,  he  saw  she  had  started  out  in 

37 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

search  of  him  and  was  coming  with  a  smile  and  her 
hand  extended,  saying  at  the  same  time : 

"Peddy,  I  am  glad  to  call  you  brother.  I  hope  we 
shall  be  great  friends."  Taken  by  surprise,  he  man- 
aged to  stammer  something  to  the  effect  that  he  felt 
sure  they  would  be  and  wishing  at  the  same  time  he 
could  run  in  the  opposite  direction,  when  she  uncon- 
sciously placed  her  arm  through  his  erstwhile  unwill- 
ing one,  going  into  the  house  with  him  as  though  it 
were  quite  a  usual  proceeding. 

Florence  Moore  or  Florence  Leslie,  was  not  what 
the  world  would  call  a  beauty,  but  those  who  knew 
her  called  her  pretty.  Some  said  she  was  not  pretty, 
but  attractive.  She  was  a  blonde,  with  large  gray  eyes 
that  compelled  your  respect,  and  were  very  kind.  She 
always  had  the  appearance  of  being  neatly  and  ap- 
propriately dressed,  even  on  the  ranch.  She  consid- 
ered it  next  to  crime  to  become  negligent  about  one- 
self and  often  said,  "If  a  girl  expects  her  husband 
to  remain  her  sweetheart,  she  must  take  as  much  pride 
pleasing  his  taste  as  when  she  was  only  his  sweet- 
heart." Of  medium  height,  she  tipped  the  scales  at 
125  pounds.  A  fearless  horsewoman,  an  excellent 
whip,  and  many  a  bird  had  fallen  at  the  crack  of  her 
rifle.  To  quote  her  husband's  words  she  was  "Just 
the  girl  for  a  rancher's  wife." 

38 


THE   BRIDE 

Slim  had  escaped  the  night  before  and  was  still 
feeling  a  little  shaky  thinking  of  facing  the  new  lady 
of  the  ranch,  when  some  one  calling  him  "Mr.  Slim," 
stood  in  the  door  and  assured  him  she  had  enjoyed  her 
breakfast  very  much.  She  asked  him  to  please  tell  her 
if  he  had  another  name.  Moving  uneasily  on  one 
foot,  then  on  the  other,  he  told  her  that  in  Missouri 
they  had  called  him  Howard  Standing,  but  on  the 
range  he  had  always  answered  to  the  name  of  Stand- 
ing Slim,  or  Slim  Cookie,  and  he  would  be  obliged  if 
she  would  call  him  "Slim"  like  the  boys — then  he 
would  not  feel  so  strange.  Telling  Charles  what  Slim 
had  said,  they  decided  that  as  it  was  the  custom  of 
the  country,  it  would  be  permissible  for  her  to  call  the 
boys  who  wished  it,  by  their  given  or  nick  names, 
"bein*  it  made  'em  feel  kinder  easy  like,"  as  Slim  had 
said. 

At  dinner  that  day  they  all  had  very  good  reason 
to  believe  Mrs.  Leslie  had  been  giving  Slim  some 
lessons  in  cooking,  as  the  biscuits  were  much  lighter 
and  he  also  surprised  them  with  some  fine  pastry.  In 
the  next  few  weeks  many  were  the  little  comforts 
added  to  the  house,  and  it  would  have  been  impossible 
for  anyone  to  mistake  it  now,  for  a  bachelor  home. 

The  time  was  fast  approaching  when  all  the  boys 
would  be  leaving  for  the  spring  round-ups,  and  the 

•39 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

horses  were  being  gathered  in,  so  each  man  could  pick 
out  his  string  and  get  them  in  shape.  A  "string"  con- 
sists of  eight  or  ten  head,  one  being  used  to  carry  the 
pack  usually  comprising  two  wollen  double  blankets, 
one  cotton  blanket,  two  "comforts"  (or  sugans  as  they 
are  more  commonly  called  by  the  cowboy)  and  a  "war 
sack"  containing  an  extra  woolen  shirt,  a  suit  of  un- 
derwear and  one  half  dozen  pairs  of  socks,  while  last 
but  not  least,  the  "cowpuncher's  comfort"  a  very  fair 
supply  of  either  smoking  or  chewing  tobacco.  These 
are  rolled  in  a  tarpaulin  or  water  proof  canvas  to  pro- 
tect the  bed  and  sleeper  from  dampness. 

Excitement  was  not  lacking  in  the  corral  these 
warm  spring  mornings.  Bronchs  were  being  initiat- 
ed and  tenderfeet  making  a  "rep."  for  themselves,  by 
successfully  "topping"  some  of  the  Leslie  noted  out- 
laws or  hitting  the  trail  for  a  job  where  the  cayuses 
could  not  go  quite  so  high. 

While  Florence  Leslie  longed  sometimes  for  the 
beautiful  trees  she  had  been  accustomed  to,  she  was 
learning  to  love  the  long  stretches  of  uninhabited 
plains.  The  sunshine  seemed  perpetual  in  this  free, 
independent  West,  and  she  loved  it  too  because  it  was 
her  husband's  chosen  country,  and  did  she  not  love 
him  ?  Yes,  more  and  more,  as  she  saw  how  kind  and 
considerate  he  was  of  her,  how  watchful  for  others, 

40 


THE    BRIDE 

and  how  honest  and  straightforward  in  all  his  deal- 
ings. He  was  very  generous  with  his  friends,  but  un- 
relenting with  his  enemies.  No  worthy  man  ever 
came  to  Charles  Leslie  for  help  without  avail.  People 
did  not  say  of  him,  "That  is  a  handsome  man,"  but, 
"That  is  a  fine,  honest  man."  He  was  a  purely  west- 
ern product,  a  little  above  the  average  height,  broad 
shouldered  and  muscular,  weighing  about  one  hundred 
and  sixty  pounds,  with  brown  hair  and  deep,  steady 
blue  eyes.  All  who  had  dealings  with  him  found  his 
word  as  good  as  his  bond  and  his  promises  always  ful- 
filled. One  thing  more  before  closing  my  description 
of  the  senior  member  of  the  firm  of  Leslie  Bros, — he 
had  never  been  known  to  drink  even  one  glass  of 
liquor,  or  smoke  one  ounce  of  "the  weed,"  and  the 
younger  brother  following  the  lead  of  the  older,  had 
said  many  times  when  "invited  up :" 

"No  hard  feelings,  boys,  but  none  of  that  in  mine," 
but  if  the  chips  were  stacked  in  front  of  him  he  was 
always  "ready  for  a  two  or  twenty-two  hour  game," 
usually  playing  a  "lucky"  hand  as  there  was  no  fire 
water  in  his  brain.  Alfred  Leslie  was  a  man  of  few 
words,  honest  and  sincere  and  it  was  often  said  of 
him  that  he  never  spoke  an  angry  word  to  a  friend, 
and  like  all  natives  of  the  new  country,  was  fearless  in 
the  extreme.  Neither  man  nor  animal  feared  him,  for 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

one  look  into  those  kind,  brown  eyes  told  them  he  was 
a  friend. 

He  had  just  come  in  from  a  long  ride  after  some 
of  the  horses  had  broken  the  fence  and  given  him  a 
great  deal  of  trouble ;  he  left  them  safe  in  the  corral, 
from  which  he  had  just  emerged.  Saddle  and  bridle 
being  disposed  of,  the  tired  cowboy  stretched  himself 
in  the  sunshine  for  a  little  snooze  before  the  cook 
would  call  dinner,  when  a  tall,  dark  stranger  rode  into 
sight  around  the  corner  of  the  barn,  with  the  ac- 
customed salutation: 

"Hello  pard!  What's  the  chance  to  get  a  square 
and  a  feed  for  my  horse  ?" 

He  was  asked  to  put  up  his  horse  and  was  shown 
where  to  find  grain  for  the  poor,  hard-ridden  creature, 
then  courteously  but  coolly  invited  in  to  dinner,  for 
it  was  quite  evident  to  the  other  boys  that  Peddy  did 
not  take  very  powerfully  to  the  newcomer.  "Some- 
thing, somehow,  uncommon  for  him,"  Harry  told  Jack 
as  they  lay  looking  up  at  the  stars  that  night,  for  they 
preferred  the  smell  of  the  fresh  budding  sage-brush 
to  the  odor  of  a  kerosene  lamp,  in  the  rather  crowded 
bunk  house.  The  next  morning  the  newcomer  giving 
his  name  as  Tom  O'Day  and  his  stamping  ground, 
Big  Horn  Basin,  said: 

"Is  there  a  chance  for  a  job?" 


THE    BRIDE 

The  Boss  asked  him  hadn't  he  pack  or  bed.  He 
said  he  had  none,  having  played  them  off  at  poker  in 
Casper.  He  was  told  they  were  in  need  of  one  more 
man,  and  if  Zang,  one  of  his  men,  did  not  get  back, 
must  have  two,  for  the  Pool  round-up.  But  they  did 
not  know  what  they  could  do  for  a  bed  for  him  as  all 
the  beds  would  be  in  use  and  it  would  be  impossible 
to  go  to  town  before  the  round-up  started.  After  a 
little  deliberation,  O'Day  told  Peddy  if  Zang  would 
not  share  his  bed  with  him  he  would  use  his  saddle 
blanket  and  slicker. 

"It  won't  be  very  heavy,  but  I  have  done  it  before," 
and  Peddy  answered  nothing  but  gave  him  a 
searching  look  which  O'Day'  did  not  seem  to  appre- 
ciate and  turned  away  on  the  pretext  of  fixing  his 
saddle. 

Later  that  day  one  of  Mill's  rep's,  bound  for  the 
U-L  on  Lance  Creek,  informed  them  Zang  was  on  the 
Cheyenne  River  and  would  be  in  next  day  with  all  the 
horses  that  had  strayed  up  there  if  they  could  send  a 
man  to  help  him  through  the  Buck  Creek  hills  as  they 
were  a  little  wiry. 

Peddy  went  next  day  to  help  Zang,  taking  the  new 
man  O'Day,  with  him,  mounted  on  a  fresh  horse. 
They  rode  along  in  silence,  Tom  seeming  a  little 
sullen,  and  Peddy  rather  indifferent.  They  had 


crossed  the  hills  to  the  east  side  and  were  letting  their 
horses  feed  while  they  lay  in  watch  to  see  the  other 
horses  before  the  latter  should  see  them,  but  before 
they  realized  what  had  happened  the  "strays"  came  up 
a  steep  bank  out  of  a  gulch  close  to  where  they  were 
and  seeing  the  men,  wheeled  quickly  and  ran  the  other 
way;  but  rapidly  as  it  all  happened  it  was  not  quick 
enough  to  keep  Tom  and  Zang  from  getting  a  good 
look  at  each  other  and  standing  transfixed  as  though 
they  each  had  seen  a  ghost;  quickly  as  Peddy  had 
started  after  the  fleeing  ponies  it  was  not  too  quick  for 
him  to  catch  that  frightened  look  of  recognition  on 
their  faces,  ere  they  too  started  in  pursuit  of  the 
scattering  bronchs.  The  frightened  animals  were 
finally  brought  under  control  after  a  heated  chase  and 
successfully  corraled  at  the  home  ranch. 

Tom  and  Zang  paid  very  little  attention  to  each 
other  for  the  next  few  days,  each  tending  his  own 
affairs  but  both  watching  Peddy  out  of  the  corner  of 
his  eye.  If  they  sought  to  find  out  how  much  he  had 
seen  of  their  first  meeting,  they  might  just  as  well  have 
watched  a  statue,  for  no  man  ever  picked  any  secrets 
out  of  those  eyes,  be  he  stranger,  friend  or  brother. 
But  they,  not  understanding,  thought  he  had  seen 
nothing. 

Zang  had  readily  consented  to  the  new  man  sharing 

44 


THE    BRIDE 

his  bed.  So  it  was  settled  that  Tom  O'Day  and  Zang 
should  go  to  the  Pool  round-up,  and  get  back  before 
the  beef  round-up  in  July. 

Jack  Randolph  and  Brownie  had  been  riding  the 
creeks  north  and  northwest  of  the  ranch,  gathering 
the  cows  and  calves  and  throwing  them  into  the  pas- 
tures that  they  might  have  the  protection  of  the  Buck 
Creek  hills  during  the  cold  spring  rains.  After  they 
had  them  settled  on  water,  they  headed  for  the  JA6, 
hungry  and  tired  but  not  too  tired  to  bring  Slim's  head 
out  of  the  door  with  Brownie's  "Whoop,-ee,-yah-oooo- 
oop,  oop,  oop,  ye  oop-yah-hee !" 

"Cookie,  how's  the  chuck  coming?  Dish'er  up 
quick  and  plenty,"  at  which  he  was  promptly  told  to 
go  to  H. . . . — that  Brownies  were  not  big  enough  to 
give  orders. 

Brownie,  nonplussed  at  this,  shouted  back :  "Go 
bury  that  disposition,  Slim,  just  to  please  me." 

They  had  barely  time  to  complete  the  washing  pro- 
cess when  they  heard  the  welcome  sound  of  the  cook's 
voice,  howling:  "She's  all  ready;  come  and  get 
her ;"  which,  if  translated,  would  be  "supper  is  ready." 

As  they  filed  in  around  the  table,  the  inquisitive 
Brownie  asked  who  belonged  to  the  sway  backed,  bow- 
legged  thoroughbred  in  the  barn.  Someone  had  just 
come  in  a  little  late  but  had  heard  the  question.  It 

45 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

was  Tom  O'Day,  and  stepping  quickly  up  to  the  door 
where  the  others  were  eating,  he  said,  "I  belong  to 
that  animal;  do  you  object?" 

Brownie  answered  that  he  only  objected  to  such  a 
"fearful  disposition,"  at  which  everyone  laughed,  much 
to  the  discomfort  of  Tom,  and  then  leaning  over  Jack, 
Peddy  heard  him  say,  "That's  the  fellow  we  saw 
without  a  pack,  hitting  the  low  places  on  Bear  Creek 
the  other  day,"  while  Jack,  with  an  expression  on  his 
face  that  told  more  than  words,  said  in  a  significant 
tone,  "I  thought  I  knew  that  horse !" 


CHAPTER  III. 

IN   THE   GRAY   WOLF'S   DEN. 

Harry  Stanley  who  had  been  called  to  see  his  sick 
mother,  living  some  fifteen  miles  east  of  the  JA6 
ranch,  after  stating  her  improvement  to  Mrs.  Leslie, 
said  he  had  surprised  a  large  gray  wolf  eating  on  a 
JA6  three-year  old  steer  in  the  thick  timbered  part 
of  the  Buck  Creek  hills,  on  the  Old  Woman  Creek 
side,  and  that  she  had  run,  but  while  he  had  followed 
as  close  to  her  as  was  possible,  he  could  not  get  close 
enough  to  rope  her,  and  having  no  gun,  could  not  kill 
her.  After  following  her  all  afternoon,  she  had  turn- 
ed into  the  bad  lands  on  Lance  Creek  and  as  it  was 
with  great  difficulty  that  he  had  kept  her  in  sight 
before,  after  getting  there  he  had  lost  her  entirely. 

Charles  Leslie  told  Jack  to  get  up  some  good 
horses  in  the  morning  and  then  they  could  put  the 
day  in  trying  to  catch  the  old  wolf  and  find  her  den, 
as  it  was  necessary  to  get  the  pups  before  they  were 
large  enough  to  run. 

47 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    'JA6 

A  chill  in  the  air  that  evening  caused  the  men  to 
seek  the  bunk-house  early.  Some  were  reading,  some 
writing  and  some  smoking.  Zang  was  delving  into 
the  bottom  of  his  war-sack.  Among  the  things  drawn 
out  from  that  sack  was  a  yellow  and  black  striped  vest 
which  brought  a  look  of  pride  to  the  owner's  face,  for 
he  bought  that  vest  while  on  his  much  talked  of  trip 
to  Chicago  with  the  "Boss,"  to  market  a  train  of 
cattle.  He  was  holding  it  up  for  the  inspection  of  the 
boys  when  the  Boss  came  in  to  give  some  instructions 
for  the  morning;  just  as  Zang  turned  away  shaking 
the  garment  vigorously,  two  little  pieces  of  red  card- 
board fluttered  to  the  floor  at  Mr.  Leslie's  feet ;  he 
picked  them  up,  then  laughed  heartily  and  asked  Zang 
if  he  was  still  looking  for  that  theater.  But  Charles 
Leslie  was  not  allowed  to  tell  the  joke  till  Zang  had 
left  for  the  Pool  round-up  next  day. 

As  they  rode  to  the  bad  lands  in  the  morning,  the 
boys  reminded  Charlie  of  the  red  tickets,  and  he  told 
them  how  Zang  had  met  a  Montana  cowpuncher  at  the 
Stock  Yards  in  Chicago  and  of  how  he  had  taken  them 
up  to  the  city  and  left  them  at  the  door  of  the  Audi- 
torium Theater  where  they  purchased  tickets  for  the 
evening,  paying  for  two  of  the  best  seats  in  the  house. 

Securing  tickets,  they  started  in  to  array  them- 
selves in  becoming  attire  after  which  supper  was 

48 


in  order,  then  for  the  theater ;  how  they  would  enjoy 
it!  But  where  in  the  devil  was  it?  They  could  not 
have  lost  it  more  completely  if  it  had  been  sunk  in 
Lake  Michigan.  They  hunted  for  that  theater  till 
eleven  o'clock,  then  gave  it  up  and  were  obliged  to  get 
a  cab  to  take  them  to  their  hotel  for  they  had  lost  that 
too.  Getting  the  bell-boy  to  secure  them  a  "bottle," 
they  went  to  sleep  to  dream  of  broad  prairies  where 
buildings  were  not  so  high  or  thick. 

Just  then  Brownie  saw  some  prints  of  a  large  wolf 
paw  in  the  sand,  and  on  examining  them  closely,  dis- 
covered that  they  led  off  in  several  directions.  Charles 
Leslie  and  Brownie  took  up  one  trail,  while  Jack  and 
Harry  took  up  the  other.  It  was  no  easy  matter  to 
follow  the  almiost  invisible  tracks,  and  the  sun  was 
nearly  in  the  center  of  the  sky  when  they  found  the 
den. 

Brownie  and  the  Boss  had  been  working  about  an 
hour,  when  Jack  and  Harry,  still  on  the  trail,  came  to 
find  the  others  working  to  enlarge  the  opening  of  the 
hole  to  admit  Brownie's  body  as  he  was  going  to  fill 
his  ears  with  pieces  of  his  handkerchief,  and  gun  in 
hand  would  crawl  into  the  lair.  He  had  been  out  of 
sight  but  a  short  time  when  a  shot  was  heard,  and 
after  a  little  awful  suspense,  they  saw  two  swiftly 
moving  objects  which  proved  to  be  Brownie's  feet,  for 

49 


THE    FOREMAN    'OF    THE    JA6 

he  was  making  desperate  attempts  to  extricate  him- 
self. 

Very  soon  they  heard  a  voice  calling  to  them  to 
"pull  him  out  of  that  dam'd  hole !"  They  all  fell  to 
and  pulled,  but  to  no  avail.  The  dirt  had  become  loose 
and  wedged  him  in.  Jack's  faithful  Prince  was 
brought  close  to  the  hole,  and  a  rope  fastened  to  the 
feet  of  the  now  impatient  Brownie,  and  with  a  "dally" 
around  the  saddle  horn  and  a  short,  steady  pull,  some- 
thing emerged  from  that  den  that  no  mother  would 
have  recognized  as  her  boy.  Dirt  was  in  his  hair,  on 
his  clothes,  in  his  eyes,  in  his  boots,  and  in  his  pockets. 
But  he  was  ever  the  jolly  son  of  his  mother,  for  step- 
ping a  little  to  one  side,  with  a  mournful  face,  he 
asked  if  he  looked  dirty.  The  Boss  consolingly  told 
him  that  he  looked  a  "little  soiled,"  but  that  it  was 
worth  several  clean  outfits  to  capture  that  batch  of 
live-stock  destroyers — eleven  pups  and  the  mother : 
"Many  are  the  dollars  she  has  cost  me  in  horse  flesh." 

"Well,"  said  Brownie,  "I  am  glad  we  have  got  her, 
but  it  would  take  several  pounds  of  horse  flesh  to  get 
me  to  look  into  two  more  such  balls  of  fire  like  that 
old  gal  had  in  her  mask.  Why  Boss,  they  looked 
large  as  base  balls.  Say,  she  must  have  had  a  fearful 
disposition !" 

They  returned  to  the  ranch  very  jubilant  over  their 

50 


IN   THE   GRAY   WOLF'S  DEN 

day's  catch,  with  appetites  as  ferocious  as  the  animal's 
they  had  slain.  Brownie  was  just  in  the  heat  of  de- 
scribing his  encounter  with  the  she  wolf, — of  how 
terrible  those  fiery  orbs  had  burned  into  his  face,  and 
the  gnashing  of  those  cruel  fangs  as  she  crawled  near- 
er and  nearer  before  he  had  fired  that  fatal  shot,  but 
Chicago  spoiled  it  all  by  inquiring  if  he  had  a  lantern 
vith  him. 

"Say  Tuberculer,  where  did  you  happen  from  ?"  in- 
quired Brownie. 

"Why  down  the  creek  where  you  sent  me  this 
morning  to  watch  for  the  wolf/  said  the  Chicago  ten- 
derfoot. "I  fixed  that  meat  on  a  string  and  have  been 
sitting  up  in  that  tree  holding  my  gun  all  day.  I 
would  have  got  her  all  right  if  she  had  smelled  that 
meat." 

Not  till  the  air  was  filled  with  ear-splitting  laughter 
did  he  realize  that  he  had  been  the  victim  of  a  cow- 
boy's joke  on  a  tenderfoot. 


CHAPTER  IV. 
MRS.  LESLIE'S  GUEST. 

When  the  last  mail  had  gone  to  town,  Florence 
Leslie  had  written  her  dearest  friend,  urging  her  to 
pay  a  long-wished  for  visit. 

"If  you  could  only  come!  I  am  sure  you  would 
be  delighted.  Please  try,  dear  Sunshine,  and 
share  the  pure  delights,  of  this,  Nature's  own  grand 
country,  with  me.  And  the  country  is  not  all 
we  have  that's  grand.  There  are  some  big  hearted, 
sincere,  handsome  cowboys  too,  but  I  won't  say  much 
about  them  as  I  might  frighten  you  out  of  coming," 
and  with  a  few  items  of  news  she  closed  her  letter. 

Harry  Stanley  had  been  to  town  for  supplies,  and 
Florence  was  waiting  for  him  to  drive  into  the  yard 
when  she  would  get  the  mail.  Eagerly  she  grasped 
the  letters  and  ran  to  the  house  to  read  them  for 
surely  there  would  be  one  from  Sunshine.  And  she 
was  not  disappointed.  She  tore  the  dainty  envelope 
and  oh,  what  good  news!  Sunshine  would  arrive  the 
next  week. 

52 


MRS.    LESLIE'S    GUEST 

Mrs.  Leslie  told  no  one  but  her  husband.  Sun- 
shine's coming  was  to  be  a  surprise  to  the  boys,  and 
she  fell  to  wondering  which  one  she  would  like. 
She  thought  if  it  were  she,  it  would  be  Jack,  for  he 
was  the  most  like  her  Charlie,  but  of  course  girls' 
tastes  differed  so;  then  they  were  all  good  boys 
except  Zang  Tompkins  and  Tom  O'Day,  the  new 
man ;  of  them  she  was  not  so  sure,  as  she  hadn't  taken 
much  of  a  liking  to  either  one.  A  keen  intuition 
formed  part  of  her  make-up.  Zang  had  always  avoid- 
ed her,  and  Tom — well,  there  was  something  so 
peculiar  about  him  she  could  not  tell  just  what,  only 
she  felt  inclined  to  look  away  every  time  he  looked 
at  her. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Leslie,  after  a  long  talk,  decided  to 
send  trusty  Jack  to  town  to  meet  their  expected  guest. 
The  day  before  Sunshine  was  to  arrive  at  the  little 

town  of  L ,  Jack  was  told  he  was  to  drive  in  for 

a  party  who  was  coming  to  see  the  ranch  and  if  they 
liked  it  they  would  stay  for  some  time.  Brown  and 
Dandy  were  hitched  to  the  canvas-topped  buggy  next 
morning,  and  a  lively  pair  they  were  as  they  skimmed 
over  the  ground  like  swallows  on  that  long  stretch  of 
thirty  miles  to  the  town,  where  he  had  been  told  to  go 
to  the  only  hotel  the  place  boasted. 

After  Jack  had  disposed  of  his  horses  for  the  night, 

53 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

at  Demmon's  Livery,  he  sauntered  to  the  hotel 
to  inquire  if  his  party  were  anywhere  about.  He  was 
told  the  "young  lady"  had  arrived,  and  that  she  was 
sitting  at  the  last  table  to  the  left  in  the  dining  room. 

"The  young  lady!"  he  almost  screeched. 

The  clerk  jumped  so  quickly  and  looked  so  aston- 
ished that  Jack  came  to  his  senses  and  said: 

"Oh,  yes.  I  will  see  her  after  supper,"  and  went  in 
search  of  a  restaurant  after  casting  one  shy  glance 
through  the  open  door  where  his  charge  sat  quite  un- 
concerned, finishing  a  light  meal. 

After  a  hearty  supper,  he  went  to  find  a  barber- 
shop to  get  trimmed  up  preparatory  to  making  his 
presence  known. 

On  entering  the  hotel,  the  clerk  informed  him  the 
"young  lady"  wished  to  see  him  in  the  parlor.  He 
made  his  way  to  the  second  floor,  wondering  if  her 
eyes  were  blue  and  kind,  or  black  and  snappy.  He 
had  time  to  wonder  no  more  for  he  found  himself 
tapping  on  a  door  marked  "Parlor."  The  door  opened 
and  a  pair  of  surprised  blue  eyes  looked  into  his, 
then  dropped,  while  begging  his  pardon. 

"I  thought,"  said  Miss  Golden,  "it  was  Mr.  Leslie." 

He  explained  to  her  that  Charles  Leslie  could  not 
come,  but  that  he  had  been  sent  in  his  place,  and  if  she 
would  permit  him  to  accompany  her,  he  would  be 

54 


'MRS.    LESLIE'S    GUEST 

ready  to  start  after  breakfast  the  next  morning.  She 
told  him  she  would  be  ready  at  any  time,  so  bidding 
her  good-night,  he  descended  to  the  office  and  smoked 
a  cigarette  before  "rolling  in." 

Several  of  his  friends  had  invited  him  to  a  game 
of  anything  he  chose  to  play,  but  he  refused  and  re- 
tired instead,  dreaming  of  a  golden  haired  girl  with 
deep  blue  eyes  and  a  fair  face,  a  dainty  hand  held 
out  to  himi,  with  no  ring  adorning  it,  and  awoke  to 
toss  till  breakfast,  for  he  was  positive  he  had  seen  that 
face  and  those  great,  sad,  blue  eyes  before,  but  where 
and  when? 

Miss  Golden  had  risen  early  and  was  in  the  dining 
room  when  he  came  down.  As  he  entered,  she  mo- 
tioned him  to  a  seat  beside  her. 

"It  is  a  glorious  morning,"  she  said.  "I  don't  won- 
der that  Mrs.  Leslie  is  so  much  in  love  with  this 
country.  I  am  so  happy  to  get  back  to  the  West." 

Upon  asking  her  whether  her  home  was  in  the 
West,  she  told  him  her  childhood  had  been  spent  on 
the  prairie  about  forty  miles  south  of  the  little  town 
they  were  then  in,  but  that  her  school  days  had  been 
spent  in  the  East. 

They  had  left  early  for  the  JA6  ranch  and  were 
now  out  several  miles.  As  Jack  had  been  busy 
keeping  the  horses  in  check,  Sunshine  had  taken 

55 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

the  opportunity  and  was  quietly  inspecting  her  com- 
panion. How  manly  he  seemed,  after  the  silly-molly- 
coddle college  boys  she  had  seen  so  much  of  the  last 
few  years — there  was  something  about  him  that  re- 
minded her  constantly  of  the  old  life.  Could  she  have 
seen  him  before?  Was  it  because  he  was  so  truly 
western — or  that  his  cowboy  dress  appealed  rather 
strongly  to  her?  How  much  he  reminded  her  of  her 
father  as  she  remembered  him  in  her  childhood ! 

Her  father  had  said  as  soon  as  her  sister  Nellie  and 
she  were  through  school,  he  would  return  to  the  land 
he  loved  best ;  to  the  fresh  air,  the  perpetual  sunshine 
and  the  hospitality  of  dear  old  Wyoming!  She  was 
dreaming  happy  day-dreams  of  dashing  over  the 
prairie  with  Daddy  by  her  side.  How  happy 
they  would  be !  She  had  no  brother  and  had  always 
been  Daddy's  "boy."  She  remembered  spending 
whole  days  in  the  saddle  with  him  when  he  rode  the 
range  as  foreman  of  the  LZ  outfit. 

Jack  noticing  how  absorbed  she  seemed,  did  not 
disturb  her  until  they  came  to  a  high  elevation  on  the 
head  of  Buck  Creek;  there  the  temptation  was  too 
great,  so  he  brought  the  horses  to  a  stand.  She 
looked  up  quickly,  and  with  a  little  cry  of  delight,  as  if 
divining  his  thoughts,  said  simply,  "It  is  grand !"  and 
drank  to  the  greatest  capacity  the  wonderful  pano- 

56 


MRS.    LESLIE'S    GUEST 

rama  provided  by  Nature,  and  covering  a  distance  of 
seventy-five  miles. 

Just  below  them  was  the  rolling  prairie  divided 
about  equally  by  Buck  Creek  with  its  fringe  of  cotton- 
woods  that  extended  down  into  the  fine  covered 
hillocks  some  three  miles  in  length  which  were  tribu- 
tary to  the  Black  Hills  that  formed  a  dark  dividing 
line  between  the  green  prairie  and  the  blue  sky.  In 
the  midst  of  the  hills  the  smoke  from  the  Cambra  coal 
mines  could  be  plainly  discerned  though  seventy-five 
miles  distant. 

Many  times  had  Jack  stood  in  this  spot  thankful  to 
be  allowed  the  privilege  of  enjoying  one  of  Nature's 
greatest  gifts  bestowed  upon  mankind — to  be  able  to 
appreciate  the  wonderful  works  of  art  placed  here  by 
the  Creator.  At  last  Sunshine  broke  the  silence. 

"When  I  first  went  East,  I  felt  that  I  must  choke ; 
it  seemed  to  me  if  I  stretched  out  my  arms  I  must 
touch  the  mountains  on  one  side  and  the  forest  on  the 
other.  How  I  longed  for  my  pony  and  the  fresh  wind 
blowing  in  my  face  and  a  gallop  after  the  saddle 
horses  before  breakfast  just  to  surprise  and  please 
Daddy !" 

Jack  gazed  at  her  in  wonder.  How  patriotic  to  the 
state  of  her  birth  !  She  loved  it  even  as  he,  and  to  him 
it  was  all  except  Prince — would  she  care  for  Prince? 

57 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

Yes,  he  was  sure  she  would ;  she  was  a  Western  girl 
and  would  surely  care  for  a  grand  old  horse  like 
Prince.  Mrs.  Leslie  had  petted  and  fed  him  just  as 
she  had  her  pet  trick  horse  Billy  that  her  husband  had 
given  her  when  she  first  came  to  the  ranch. 

They  were  now  nearing  their  destination  which 
brought  Jack  to  a  realization  that  the  happiest  hours 
he  had  ever  spent  were  drawing  to  a  close.  He  had 
known  her  such  a  short  time  yet  he  felt  that  she  was 
a  part  of  his  life.  Perhaps  he  would  never  have  the 
pleasure  of  her  company  alone  again.  He  wished  he 
might  tell  her  how  much  he  had  appreciated  those 
swiftly  fleeing  hours ! 

As  the  home  of  her  friend  came  into  sight,  she  told 
him  she  was  grateful  to  him  for  so  safe  and  pleasant 
a  trip,  and  as  she  expected  to  stay  for  some  time  she 
would  likely  see  him  often,  to  which  he  thanked  her 
and  said  if  she  should  care  to  ride,  that  his  horse  was 
at  her  disposal  and  that  "he  allus  had  bin  gentle  with 
the  women-folks." 

They  were  in  the  yard  now,  and  Florence  Leslie 
rushed  out  of  the  house  to  greet  her  long-looked-for 
visitor.  They  were  truly  delighted  to  be  together 
once  more,  and  had  so  much  to  tell  each  other.  Sun- 
shine recited  all  the  events  of  school  and  out  of  school, 
and  they  talked  far  into  the  night  till  Mr.  Leslie  call- 

58 


MRS.    LESLIE'S    GUEST 

ing  into  Sunshine's  room  asked  who  was  ahead,  and 
if  they  didn't  think  a  little  sleep  and  rest  was  in  keep- 
ing. Suddenly  realizing  how  very  late  it  was  they 
separated  for  the  night  with  a  "continued  in  our  next" 
and  in  less  than  an  hour,  the  house  was  in  total  dark- 
ness. 


59 


CHAPTER  V. 

THE  FLIGHT  OF  SATAN. 

Jack  had  brushed  Satan  till  his  black  coat  shone  like 
satin,  for  Miss  Golden  wished  to  ride  him  to  the  head 
of  Buck  Creek  accompanied  by  himself,  where  he  was 
going  to  turn  the  "dogies"  or  southern  cattle,  to  water. 
They  had  been  shipped  in  recently  from  Texas,  by 
Charles  Leslie,  and  had  not  yet  become  located. 

As  Jack  brushed  and  saddled  Satan  he  wondered 
what  the  "S"  on  Miss  Golden's  suit  case  stood  for. 
He  had  wondered  ever  since  the  day  she  came  and  he 
saw  the  initials  S.  G.  on  the  case  as  he  carried  it  into 
the  house. 

"I  wonder  if  it  could  be  Sarah  or  Samanthy.  May- 
be it's  Susan  or  Sally.  I  don't  see  what  it  can  be.  It 
seems  to  me  none  of  them  there  handles  fits  with 
Golden  or  with  the  girl  either.  I'd  bet  my  six-gun  its 
some  new-fangled  prefix  I  couldn't  pronounce  if  I  was 
a  pure  college  bred." 

As  Jack  led  the  horses  out  of  the  stable  a  pleasing 

60 


THE    FLIGHT    OF    SATAN 

sight  met  his  eyes — a  slender  girlish  figure  attired  in 
a  white  flannel  shirt-waist,  a  navy-blue  divided  skirt, 
a  Stetson  hat,  tan  gloves,  and  boots,  a  navy  and  white 
string  tie,  fluttering  from  her  collar.  A  ribbon  to 
match,  catching  her  hair  together  at  the  back  of  her 
neck,  completed  the  very  becoming  costume,  while  a 
few  golden  wavy  locks  loosened  by  the  wind,  added 
not  a  little  to  the  already  bewitching  picture.  For  the 
first  few  miles  very  little  was  said  as  Sunshine  was  ex- 
periencing some  difficulty  in  controling  Satan. 

"Satan !"  yelled  Jack,  "what's  got  the  matter  with 
you  ?  I  never  see'd  sich  actions  from  you  before.  If 
I  didn't  know  you,  you  black  imp,  I'd  jedge  you  fer  a 
green  bronch." 

For  the  last  half  mile  Satan  had  quieted  down  a 
little  then  a  sudden  impulse  seemed  to  seize  him,  and 
with  head  thrown  high  he  dashed  forward  once  more. 
Sunshine  began  to  pull  on  the  reins,  but  she  soon 
realized  she  had  lost  all  control  of  him,  and  the  only 
thing  for  her  to  do  was  to  try  to  keep  him  on  level 
ground  and  keep  her  seat  till  he  had  partly  exhausted 
his  strength.  Then  perhaps  she  could  stop  him  or 
Jack  might  overtake  them.  She  seemed  to  be  fairly 
flying.  Looking  back  she  saw  Jack  urging  his  horse 
with  spur  and  quirt.  On,  on  they  dashed,  till  she 
became  so  dizzy  she  retained  her  seat  only  with  great 

61 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

difficulty.  The  foam  from  the  mouth  of  the  mad  or 
frightened  animal  flew  into  her  face.  Jack  was  at  last 
gaining  on  them.  She  could  hear  him  calling  to  her 
to  hold  tight;  his  voice  semed  so  strained  and  far 
away.  What  was  that  in  front  of  them  ?  Could  it  be 
the  rock  wall  where  Jack  had  told  her  the  eagles  built 
their  nests  on  its  jutting  side?  Sure  enough  it  was! 
What  should  she  do?  If  Jack  did  not  reach  her  in  a 
few  minutes  it  would  be  too  late,  for  Satan  was  head- 
ed straight  for  the  top  of  that  terrible  place  and  they 
must  be  dashed  fifty  feet  to  a  horrible  death ! 

"Satan!  Satan!  Stop!  Stop!"  pleaded  the  girl, 
but  Satan  only  plunged  ahead  unmindful  of  the  fear- 
ful fate  awaiting  them.  A  few  more  jumps  and 
then — but  like  a  flash  something  passed  in  front  of 
her,  and  she  knew  no  more. 

She  moved  and  tried  to  get  up  but  felt  too  sore. 
Where  was  she?  For  a  moment  she  could  not  re- 
member how  she  came  to  be  there  on  the  ground,  her 
shoulder  in  a  bunch  of  sage-brush  and  one  foot  in  a 
bed  of  cactus !  The  sound  of  a  horse  shaking  a  saddle 
brought  her  to  a  realization  of  her  awful  plight. 
Jack!  Where  was  he?  Oh  God! 

Forgetting  her  soreness,  she  rose  quickly  to  her 
feet,  mindful  only  of  the  man  who  had  perhaps  given 
tip  life  itself  to  save  her.  How  fearfully  near  he  had 

62 


"Satan!  Satan!  Stop!  Stop!"  pleaded  the  girl. 


THE    FLIGHT    OF    SATAN 

come  to  sharing  the  same  fate  he  had  saved  her  from, 
for  there  he  lay,  at  the  very  edge  of  the  terrible  rock 
wall  Nature  had  formed,  one  leg  dangling  over  its 
jagged  side.  With  frenzied  strength  she  partly  car- 
ried, partly  dragged  the  unconscious  Jack  to  a  safer 
place.  Terrified  beyond  expression,  she  put  her  hand 
on  his  heart  and  feeling  no  response  began  crying  and 
calling  on  him  to  speak  to  her. 

"Jack,  Jack,  won't  you  look  at  me  just  once  ?"  then 
laying  her  head  on  his  breast  she  head  a  few  faint 
heart  beats.  Quickly  jumping  to  her  feet,  she  began 
to  look  for  means  of  summoning  help.  Satan  would 
cause  no  more  trouble  for  his  neck  had  been  broken 
and  he  had  died  instantly.  There  was  Jack's  horse — a 
half  broken  bronch. 

"Spider,"  she  coaxed.  She  had  managed  to  catch 
the  end  of  the  reins,  and  advancing  slowly,  she  reached 
his  side,  then  with  a  leap,  she  was  on  his  back.  The 
thoroughly  frightened  Spider  started  at  a  furious  pace, 
but  she  didn't  care  for  he  was  bridle-wise  and  he  was 
going  straight  to  the  ranch.  Up  hill  and  down  he 
went.  The  stirrup  was  pressing  the  cactus  thorns 
deep  into  the  tender  flesh  of  foot  and  ankle,  but  she 
raced  along  unmindful  of  anything  save  one  thought 
— to  bring  him  help ! 

Florence  saw  her  coming  and  ran  to  meet  her  with 

63 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

white,  scared  face,  for  it  took  but  a  glance  to  see  she 
was  riding  the  wild  Spider.  In  a  few  words  Sunshine 
told  her  what  had  happened,  then  nearly  fell  from  the 
now  rather  docile  horse.  Florence  mounted  Spider, 
for  the  men  were  all  away,  after  a  few  hurried  in- 
structions, to  have  water,  some  restoratives,  a  few 
pillows  and  comforts  in  the  spring  wagon  when  she 
returned  with  the  driving  horses.  She  soon  came 
back  and  when  she  had  shut  them  in  the  corral,  suc- 
ceeded in  roping  the  two  most  gentle  of  the  bunch. 
After  considerable  difficulty  they  harnessed  and  hitched 
them.  Florence  now  climbed  to  the  driver's  seat  and 
giving  Sunshine  the  whip  instructed  her  not  to  spare 
it.  Never  would  they  forget  that  wild  ride.  It  took 
their  combined  strength  to  stop  the  horses  when  they 
reached  the  unfortunate  Jack  who  had  partly  regained 
consciousness,  and  at  their  approach  tried  to  raise 
himself  only  to  fall  back  with  a  sickening  thud  that 
caused  the  blood  to  ooze  afresh  from  the  gash  in  his 
head  and  a  groan  to  be  emitted,  which  told  of  terrible 
pain. 

While  Sunshine  gave  him  brandy  and  water,  Flor- 
ence proceeded  to  find  how  many  and  how  bad  were 
his  wounds.  She  soon  found  he  had  sustained  a  frac- 
ture of  the  left  arm,  and  a  lacerated  wound  of  the 
scalp.  They  had  taken  with  them  a  few  small  boards 

64 


THE   FLIGHT   OF   SATAN 

broken  from  the  side  of  a  canned  corn  box  and  some 
cotton-batting  such  as  one  would  use  for  "comforts," 
for  Florence  said  if  there  were  broken  bones  they 
would  need  them  for  splints,  and  with  strips  torn  from 
a  bed  sheet  they  proceeded  to  set  the  broken  bone,  and 
succeeded  remarkably  under  such  trying  circum- 
stances. His  head  they  decided  to  do  nothing  to  until 
they  reached  the  house.  After  making  him  as  com- 
fortable as  possible  with  the  quilts  and  pillows,  they 
started,  very  slowly  now,  for  the  ranch.  Florence 
driving  and  Sunshine  trying  to  lessen  the  suffering 
that  the  unavoidable  jolting  and  shaking  of  the  rig, 
caused  the  injured  man. 

The  ranch  was  reached  after  a  tedious  nerve-rack- 
ing length  of  time,  and  Jack  was  gotten  into  the  house 
and  onto  the  couch  where  he  lay  while  Florence  pro- 
ceeded to  dress  the  scalp  wound.  After  removing 
some  of  the  clotted  blood  from  the  matted  hair,  with 
hot  water  and  soap,  she  used  her  husband's  razor  to 
very  good  advantage,  then  proceeded  to  thoroughly 
cleanse  the  wound  itself  with  more  soap  and  hot 
water  and  a  solution  of  carbolic  acid.  A  few  stitches 
were  taken  with  linen  thread  and  the  head  neatly 
bandaged.  Jack  was  now  resting  more  comfortably. 
What  cowpuncher  wouldn't  be  with  beautiful  Sun- 
shine dancing  around  him  looking  after  the  duty  as- 

6; 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

signed  her  by  Florence,  of  keeping  the  dressing  wet 
with  carbolic  acid  solution? 

"Sunshine !  What  an  appropriate  name,'*  he  thought. 
How  it  thrilled  him  when  he  heard  it  for  the  first 
time  that  morning!  "I  should  have  know  that  was 
what  that  S.  stood  for  when  there  ain't  no  other  name 
that  would  fit  her.  Her  hair  is  like  the  western  sky  in 
the  evening  when  it  makes  you  think  maybe  there  is 
somethin'  in  what  your  mother  told  you  about  the 
streets  of  gold  and  the  gates  of  pearl,  an'  her  eyes  got 
their  blue  from  above  where  the  color  shows  through 
in  spots  'tween  the  big  mountains  of  fleecy  white 
clouds.  Then  when  I  feel  her  hands  on  my  head  put- 
ting on  that  carbolic  dope,  it's  as  if  the  first  rays  of 
spring  sun  was  ashinin'  on  me  after  a  hard,  cold 
winter.  Sort'a  calm  and  satisfied  like — and  mighty 
glad  I  am  alivin'.  If  Black  Satan  had  toted  that  little 
girl  with  him  over  the  'Big  Divide'  I  could  never 
showed  up  at  the  ranch  or  afore  the  boys  again.  I 
would  had  to  ditch  my  quirt  and  spurs  and  got  a 
miner's  lamp  and  pick,  and  stayed  in  the  dark,  for  I 
couldn't  a-stood  the  sunlight.  She  certainly  is  western 
though,  for  no  girl  that  hadn't  smelt  sage-brush  could 
a-stayed  with  Satan  like  she  did.  They  wouldn't  a 
had  the  grit.  Give  me  the  girl  with  nerves  like  steel 
and  a  heart  like  a  yearling  baby's !  She  cried  'cause  I 

66 


got  hurt,  then  mounted  that  crazy  Spider  bronch  an* 
rode  him  like  mad.  I  could  work  my  fingers  to  stubs 
for  a  girl  like  that.  I  know  this  is  mighty  foolish 
dreamin',  but  a  little  grumblin'  of  thunder  never  did 
spoil  the  bright  light  of  the  golden  Sunshine !" 

He  was  sitting  in  a  big  easy  chair  placed  there  for 
him  by  Sunshine  who  had  told  him  that  she  knew  the 
warmth  from  the  morning  sun  on  the  sheltered  rustic 
porch  was  far  more  agreeable  to  a  restless,  nature 
loving  cowpuncher  than  the  confinement  of  an  arti- 
ficially heated  house  even  if  he  had  helped  to  cut  the 
logs  of  which  it  was  built. 

"I  never  saw  a  man  take  so  much  pleasure  in  a 
hard  job  as  Charles  Leslie  did  a-buildin'  this  here 
cabin.  He  wondered  if  Mrs.  L'd  like  this  and  he 
wondered  if  she'd  like  that,  but  not  a  puncher  in  the 
outfit  had  a  word  to  say  when  she  came  and  they  saw 
how  much  she  set  by  all  he  done  for  her,  an'  she  cer- 
tainly has  proved  herself  for  she  allus  tries  right 
smart  to  please  the  Boss.  Sometimes  when  we  make 
a  long  ride  and  have  to  camp  over-night  with  another 
outfit  and  there's  a  woman  in  the  house  what  tries  to 
be  the  foreman,  it  makes  a  fellow  open  up  his  blinkers 
and  thank  his  stars  his  foreman  is  a  man  and  his  wife 
can  respect  him." 

"But  Mr.  Randolph,  I  am  quite  sure  the  boys  are 

67 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

glad  you  are  a  man  all  right  only  I  thought  you  were 
single?  Florence  did  not  tell  me  you  had  a  wife?" 

"A  what?"  said  Jack. 

"A  wife." 

"Me  got  a  wife?    Who  said  I  had  a  wife?" 

"You  said  the  men  ought  to  be  glad  their  foreman 
was  a  man  his  wife  could  respect,  and  you  are  the 
foreman."  Sunshine's  eyes  were  twinkling  with 
mischief. 

"I  was  speaking  of  Charles  Leslie,  the  foreman  of 
the  whole  works,  for  my  foremanship  is  scarcely 
worth  talking  of.  The  only  girl  I  ever  wanted  right 
serious  is  so  far  out  of  my  reach  I  don't  dast  to  steal 
one  thot  in  that  direction,  but  please  do  me  the  favor 
of  calling  me  Jack." 

"Never  venture  never  win,"  spoke  up  Sunshine, 
little  dreaming  he  was  thinking  of  her,  and  paying  no 
attention  to  the  last  part  of  his  sentence.  With  a 
bright  red  spot  in  each  cheek  she  flounced  into  the 
house  wondering  why  he  had  told  her  of  the  upstart 
who  thought  herself  so  much  above  him,  for  she 
acknowledged  to  herself  she  had  known  many  men 
she  admired  less. 

"I  wonder  if  she  really  meant  that  for  a  challenge? 
I  wish  I  could  think  she  did ;  I  would  certainly  make 
the  venture.  If  I'd  seen  that  girl  ten,  or  even  five 

68 


THE   FLIGHT   OF   SATAN 

years  ago,  I'd  had  a  right  smart  bank  roll  now,  in- 
stead of  hellin'  around  all  this  time  with  only  one  hair 
covered  brute  to  lay  claim  to,  and  him  sold  twict  for 
poker  chips  and  only  led  away  with  my  own  rope  by 
the  kind  advances  of  the  Boss.  Better  late  than  never. 
If  I  ever  get  out  of  this  I'll  throw  away  no  more  good 
money  on  such  a  good-fer-nothin'  cause.  I'll  b'gin 
to  pad  my  bank-roll  with  the  real  goods." 


69 


CHAPTER  VI. 

TRACY  AND  PATCHEN. 

"Mr.  Leslie,  have  you  seen  Patchen  in  any  of  your 
bunches  of  horses  that  range  here  on  Buck  Creek? 
A  neighbor  told  me  he  saw  Long  Bill  aridin'  him. 
But  the  other  day  he  saw  him  running  with  a  bunch 
of  your  horses  in  the  Buck  Creek  hills.  Long  Bill 
thinks  'cause  I'm  a  girl  he  can  ride  my  horses  when 
and  where  he  wants  and  I  can't  do  nothing  but  he 
don't  want  to  be  too  sure  of  that.  I'll  shoot  at  a  tar- 
get with  him  any  time  and  bet  my  saddle  I  can  beat 
him  if  he'd  give  me  fair  play,  but  he  has  never  done 
that.  I  will  warn  him  he  better  leave  my  horses 
alone,"  said  Tracy,  the  well  known  "Cow-Camp 
Queen." 

"Tracy,  I  would  never  try  to  take  revenge  on  Bill 
or  any  one  else  for  that  matter ;  that  would  be  mighty 
poor  business  for  a  young  girl,  then  it  would  not  be 
necessary,  for  I  don't  know  anyone  whose  rights  the 
cowboys  would  fight  for  quicker  than  the  Cow-Camp- 
Queen's." 

70 


TRACY  AND  PATCHEN 

"Who  has  been  interfering  with  her  rights  ?"  Harry 
asked,  his  face  a  little  white  with  excited  anger. 

Hearing  a  familiar  voice  he  had  come  quickly  out 
of  the  bunk  house  just  in  time  for  the  last  part  of 
the  conversation. 

Tracy  seeing  how  quickly  Harry  resented  any  hurt 
to  her,  calmed  herself  and  quietly  asked  him 
if  he  had  chanced  to  see  Patchen.  He  told  her  he 
had  put  him  in  the  pasture  that  morning  intending  to 
bring  him  home  after  supper. 

"If  you  will  tell  me  where  I  can  find  him  I  will  get 
him  and  be  going." 

"No  indeed  you  won't,"  said  Charles  Leslie,  "you 
get  off  that  horse  so  I  can  put  him  up,  and  Harry  will 
run  your  horse  up  for  you  in  the  morning. 

But  Tracy  told  him  her  mother  was  alone  and  she 
must  go  back  that  night.  Seeing  they  could  not  per- 
suade her  to  stay  till  morning  Harry  saddled  up  and 
went  after  Patchen,  while  Mr.  Leslie  accompanied 
Tracy  to  the  house  and  introduced  her  to  his  wife 
and  Sunshine.  The  Cow-Camp-Queen  was  shy  and 
quiet  at  first,  before  the  two  women,  for  she  was  more 
at  home  among  the  cowboys,  having  worked  with 
them  in  the  corral  and  ridden  with  them  on  the  plains 
since  she  was  but  ten  years  old.  She  had  seen  very 
little  of  those  of  her  own  sex  except  her  mother  whom 

71 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

she  adored,  having  no  sister  and  only  one  brother  who 
had  ridden  the  range  since  his  boyhood  days  with 
Alfred  Leslie,  while  Tracy  was  looking  after  the  inter- 
ests of  the  home  ranch. 

Good  natured  Mrs.  Leslie  soon  put  the  girl  at  her 
ease,  and  she  found  herself  chatting  and  laughing  as 
happy  as  Sunshine  and  the  hostess. 

"I  saw  Zang  on  Duck  Creek  a  few  days  ago,  and  he 
told  me  you  had  ridden  Black  Satan  the  locoed  horse, 
and  that  you  had  come  near  getting  killed.  Only  for 
Jack's  daring  you'd  went  over  the  rock-wall.  I  tell 
you  Jack  Randolph  is  the  fellow  that  is  always  there 
when  he  is  needed  most.  Zang  said  Satan  would 
never  went  over  that  wall,  that  when  he  got  to  the 
edge  he  would  a-stopped  but  if  he  had  stopped,  that 
wouldn't  a  prevented  you  from  going.  I  tell  you  any 
horse  going  the  rate  a  run-away  locoed  horse  goes, 
and  stops  right  sudden,  stiff  legged,  you'd  have  to  be 
a  better  stayer  than  I  am  if  you  didn't  go  over  his 
head.  I  said  'Zang  you're  crazy  in  the  head,  and  you 
never  rode  a  locoed  bronch.  I  have,  twice,  and  I  hope 
I'll  never  happen  on  another.  I'll  take  the  green 
bronch  every  time ;  they  may  do  some  hard  ragging, 
but  you're  looking  for  that,  but  you  don't  know  what 
to  look  for  in  a  locoed  cayuse/  I  had  a  tough  roan 
horse  that  would  never  be  shot  for  his  beauty.  He 


TRACY  AND  PATCHEN 

was  a  "seven  cross  L"  (7XL)  belonging  to  Bill 
Munson,  foreman  for  the  OW  in  Montana,  but  he 
gave  me  the  use  of  him  for  breaking  him,  and  I  did 
not  know  he  was  locoed,  neither  did  Bill.  I  had  been 
riding  him  about  three  months  but  never  had  reason 
to  run  him  any  till  one  day  a  bunch  of  range  cattle 
broke  into  our  little  hay  patch,  and  I  gave  the  roan  a 
big  run.  He  got  pretty  warm  and  started  across  the 
flat  to  the  OW  on  Old  Woman  Creek.  I  got  tired 
pulling  and  said,  'Old  boy  have  your  way,  if  you  want 
to  run  so  bad.'  Then  of  a  sudden  I  tumbled  he  was 
locoed  and  tried  hard  to  stop  him  but  he  couldn't  see 
it  my  way  so  kept  right  on  agoin'.  He  headed  now 
straight  for  the  OW  corral  and  did  not  slacken  till 
he  hit  it  with  his  head.  Then  I  hit  the  ground  over 
the  fence  on  the  inside  and  I  turned  to  look  at  him 
with  red-hot  mad  in  both  eyes,  but  I  just  laughed  for 
he  was  trying  to  climb  that  fence  he  hated  so  bad  to 
give  up  running.  If  he  hadn't  struck  that  fence  I 
reckon  he'd  been  running  yet.  I  turned  him  out  and 
thot  I  would  never  ride  him  again  but  my  little  string 
of  saddle  horses  got  pretty  well  rode  down  and  I  con- 
cluded to  try  him  once  more.  He  was  jogging  along, 
'doing  fine  till  a  big  rattle  snake  shook  its  tail  right 
under  his  nose  and  he  couldn't  stand  for  that  so  away 
he  bolted — right  down  across  a  prairie-dog  town.  It 

73 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

was  just  after  a  rain  and  the  gumbo  made  him  slip 
and  slide  till  he  succeeded  in  planting  two  front  feet 
in  a  prairie-dog  hole  and  for  the  second  time  that 
loco  unloaded  me.  This  time  there  was  no  fence  to 
climb  so  he  just  kept  going  and  I  had  to  ride  two  days 
without  a  saddle  till  I  could  get  him  in  a  corral  and 
unburden  him  of  its  weight." 

Supper  was  now  announced  and  they  filed  into  the 
dining  room  and  were  seated  round  the  table  when 
Jack  came  in,  his  head  still  bandaged  and  his  arm 
in  a  sling.  When  Tracy  saw  him  she  jumped  quickly 
to  her  feet  and  stood  looking  at  him  and  not  seeming 
to  see  the  hand  extended  in  greeting  touched  the 
wounded  arm  gently,  and  said,  tears  of  sincere  sym- 
pathy blinding  her  soft  brown  eyes : 

"Jack,  I  did  not  know  it  was  this  bad.  Miss  Golden 
must  indeed  feel  grateful  to  you." 

"No,  Tracy,  it  is  I  who  should  feel  grateful  for  her 
kindness  to  me  since  the  accident,  for  it  was  on  ac- 
count of  me  she  went  through  that  terrible  deal.  She 
might  never  have  rode  Satan  if  I  had  not  recommend- 
ed him,  but  Tom  was  the  only  man  on  the  ranch  who 
knew  he  was  locoed  and  I  cannot  understand  why  he 
never  mentioned  tt." 

Throughout  the  meal  Harry  and  Sunshine  spoke 
very  little,  seeming  wholly  engrossed  in  their  own 

74 


TRACY  AND   PATCHEN 

thoughts,  Sunshine  frowning  a  little  when  Jack  show- 
ed Tracy  a  trifle  more  attention  than  was  absolutely 
necessary,  while  Harry  seemed  to  lose  his  usually 
good  appetite. 

Supper  over,  Harry  saddled  his  horse,  and  attempt- 
ed to  saddle  Patchen  for  Tracy  as  she  told  him  she 
would  ride  him  home  and  he  knew  she  would  ride 
nothing  else.  Tracy  who  had  been  watching  him  from 
the  window  announced  to  Mrs.  Leslie  and  Sunshine 
that  she  was  going  out  to  teach  Harry  how  to  saddle 
a  horse.  They  told  her  promptly  they  would  go  with 
her  as  they  needed  a  few  lessons  in  that  line  them- 
selves. 

Patchen  was  on  his  worst  behavior  preferring  to 
stand  on  two  feet  rather  than  on  four.  Harry  had 
succeeded  in  roping  and  bridling  him,  but  getting  a 
saddle  on  him  was  a  much  more  difficult  task.  Tracy 
went  into  the  corral  and  with  rope  in  hand  walked  up 
to  the  snorting  horse  and  the  next  time  he  reared, 
deftly  threw  the  rope  and  caught  him  by  the  front 
feet,  then,  after  taking  a  half-hitch,  she  handed  the 
rope  to  Harry  instructing  him  to  pull  it  tightly.  She 
took  the  reins  in  her  left  hand  and  dexterously  pro- 
ceeded to  saddle  her  favorite.  Putting  the  blanket  on 
his  back  she  slapped  it  all  over,  and  not  very  gently, 
then  throwing  the  saddle  on,  she  drew  the  front  cinch 

75 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

tight,  while  the  flank  cinch  was  left  much  looser.  She 
said  it  was  growing  late  and  they  must  be  a-riding. 

Harry  took  the  rope  from  Patchen's  feet  and  she 
climbed  into  the  saddle,  when  to  her  great  surprise  he 
trotted  gracefully  around  the  corral  with  not  even  a 
kink  in  his  back.  Harry  now  being  ready,  came  out 
and  opened  the  corral  gate,  while  Tracy  guided  the 
Strawberry-roan  out  into  the  open  flat,  and  just  to 
show  his  appreciation  of  freedom  from  that  pen,  he 
"swallowed  his  neck,"  and  went  high,  wide  and  hand- 
some. Tracy  adding  to  the  excitement  by  using  her 
sunbonnet  for  a  quirt,  fanned  him  from  head  to  tail, 
all  the  while  screaming  like  an  Apache  Indian. 

Of  a  sudden  he  concluded  he  would  rest,  and  stood 
stock  still.  Spurs,  quirt,  sunbonnet,  and  rope  were 
used  vigorously,  but  to  no  avail ;  as  a  last  resort  Tracy 
reached  back  and  grabbing  his  tail,  pulled  with  her 
might,  yelling  like  a  cow-puncher  just  leaving  town. 
"Whoop-e-ye-whoop-eee-yah !"  Nothing  more  was 
needed  for  he  ran  like  a  streak  of  lightning  over  the 
hill.  Just  before  getting  out  of  sight?  she  raised  high  in 
the  saddle  and  waved  her  bonnet  to  the  ladies  watch- 
ing from  the  ranch. 

"Florence,  what  a  wonderful  girl  she  is!"  said 
Sunshine.  "How  brave,  and  free,  and  innocent.  Who 
is  she  most  partial  to — Jack  or  Harry?  I  thought  it 

76 


TRACY  'AND  PATCHEN 

might  be  Jack  because  she  seemed  to  take  his  injury 
so  much  to  heart,  but  judging  from  Harry's  behavior 
one  would  think  he  was  the  lucky  man." 

"Her  treatment  of  Jack,"  said  Florence,  "I  am  quite 
sure,  was  just  a  friendly  interest,  which  proved  her 
kind,  good  heart  and  tender  sympathy,  for  anyone  in 
distress.  I  have  heard  much  of  her  and  how  kind  she 
is.  Everyone  knows  Tracy  Petz  or  'The  Cow-Camp- 
Queen'  as  she  is  more  commonly  known." 

The  day  had  drawn  to  a  close  and  the  great 
Wyoming  moon  shone  in  all  its  resplendent  glory, 
when  Tracy  and  Harry  passed  the  Tim  ranch.  Noth- 
ing seemed  to  be  stirring;  only  the  occasional  long 
drawn,  spine-crimping  howl  of  a  gray  wolf  broke  the 
silence.  Patchen  had  concluded  to  come  down  to  a  re- 
spectable gait  at  last,  and  Tracy  started  the  conversa- 
tion by  asking  Harry  how  he  liked  Miss  Golden. 

"I  hardly  think  I  am  as  badly  taken  up  with  her 
as  you  seem  to  be  with  Jack  Randolph,"  he  answered, 
drawing  his  breath  rather  quickly. 

Tracy  stopped  her  horse  instantly. 

"Harry,  if  you  think  that  way,  don't  go  another 
step,  for  if  that  is  all  the  belief  you  can  have  in  me 
I'd  rather  go  alone." 

"Little  girl,"  he  said  (he  was  standing  on  the 
ground  beside  her  now),  "can  you  ever  forgive  me? 

77 


THE    FOREMAN    OF.    THE    JA6 

It  is  because  I  care  so  much  that  makes  me  brutal.  It's 
only  a  brute  will  get  sore  that  way  at  his  trusty  old 
pard.  I  don't  know  why  I  got  sore,  'cause  Jack's  a 
man,  an'  if  he  loved  you,  an*  he  knew  you  loved  him, 
back  he'd  come  to  my  face  and  give  it  to  me  straight, 
not  behind  my  back  like  I  done  with  him  to-night." 

"Don't  feel  so  hurt  with  yourself,  Harry.  I  might 
have  done  something  rash  myself  if  I  thot  you  liked 
golden  hair  and  blue  eyes  better  than  rough  brown 
hair  and  brown  eyes." 

"You  needn't  be  afraid  of  that,  little  girl,  'cause 
no  yellow-haired,  blue-eyed  girl  ever  could  take  the 
place  of  my  brown-eyed,  brown-haired  queen." 

"Get  on  your  horse,  Harry,  mother  will  be  watch- 
ing for  me  and  maybe  getting  scared,  wondering  why 
I  am  gone  so  long." 

They  rode  faster  now  and  soon  turned  into  the 
corral  at  the  little  H7H  ranch  on  Old  Woman  Creek, 
which  was  Tracy's  home,  and  hearing  them,  her 
mother  looked  out  and  called. 

"Yes,  mother,  it's  Harry  and  I.  We'll  be  in  in  a 
minute." 

The  horses  were  soon  taken  care  of  and  they  found 
a  tempting  lunch  awaiting  them,  consisting  of  fried 
sage-chicken,  bread  and  butter,  buffalo  berry  jam, 
home  made  cheese,  coffee  and  plenty  of  fresh  milk,  for 

78 


TRACY  AND  PATCHEN 

unlike  most  ranchers,  Tracy  milked  a  cow  instead  of 
using  condensed  milk.  They  ate  heartily  despite  the 
fact  that  they  had  had  a  good  supper  at  the  Leslie's. 
Harry  occupied  the  only  spare  bed  that  night,  it  being 
in  the  little  tepee  tent  on  the  bank  above  the  house, 
for  he  had  asked  Mr.  Leslie  for  a  two  days'  leave 
of  absence  to  help  Tracy  round-up  and  brand  the 
H7H  calves,  thus  relieving  her  of  performing  this 
arduous  task  alone,  as  she  had  always  been  obliged 
to  do. 

All  day  they  rode.  He  went  in  one  direction,  and 
Tracy  in  the  other.  Everything  on  Old  Woman  and 
Sage  Creek  being  gathered,  they  both  got  in  about 
dark  with  a  string  of  cows  and  calves,  and  as  Tracy 
assured  Harry  there  would  be  very  few  HyH  cattle 
ranging  off  the  two  named  creeks,  they  decided  to 
brand  the  following  day  thus  enabling  him  to  re- 
turn to  the  JA6  that  evening  to  report  for  duty  the 
third  morning. 

The  morning  brought  a  west  wind,  and  a  few  flakes 
of  snow  came  fluttering  down  which  increased  in 
number  as  the  day  advanced,  but  having  no  place  to 
hold  the  cattle,  they  decided  to  brand,  and  hold  them 
in  the  corral  that  night  that  they  might  have  shelter 
under  the  shed  in  case  the  storm  grew  worse.  They 
were  just  through  branding  when  the  wind  changed 

79 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

to  the  northwest  and  a  fearful  blizzard  set  in.  It  was 
four  o'clock  when  they  were  through  and  went  into 
the  house  and  by  five  they  could  scarcely  see  the  cor- 
rals and  barn.  As  evening  advanced  the  storm  grew 
worse.  Harry  felt  he  could  not  leave  Tracy  to  feed 
and  care  for  the  cattle  alone  and  made  up  his  mind  to 
stay  until  the  storm  abated,  much  to  the  satisfaction 
of  Tracy  and  her  mother  as  they  feared  his  going  out 
in  such  a  blinding  storm,  for  it  would  be  an  easy  mat- 
ter to  get  lost  on  a  night  like  this  and  so  be  frozen  to 
death. 


80 


CHAPTER  VII. 

IN  DUTY  BOUND. 

The  storm  that  had  been  but  a  little  western  breeze 
and  a  few  fluttering  flakes  of  snow  that  melted  as  soon 
as  they  lit,  by  middle  afternoon,  was  a  blizzard, 
which  increased  in  fury  with  every  hour.  Charles 
Leslie  had  told  his  wife  she  need  not  expect 
him  for  dinner,  for  judging  by  the  way  the  stock  was 
playing  and  sniffing  the  air,  a  good  sized  storm  would 
develop  by  evening.  His  judgment  had  not  been  in 
error,  and  at  dinner  Jack  had  announced  that  if  the 
storm  did  not  let  up  a  little  in  two  hours,  he  would 
saddle  up  and  go  to  his  assistance  and  send  Tuberculer 
back  to  the  ranch,  as  a  "tenderfoot"  would  only  be  one 
more  to  look  after,  and  it  would  be  well  nigh  impos- 
sible to  get  those  dogies  into  the  shelter  of  the  Buck 
Creek  hills,  especially  if  the  storm  and  wind  should 
change  to  the  northwest.  Forty  thousand  dollars 
looked  rather  small  tied  up  in  southern  dogies  that 
had  not  yet  become  acclimated. 

81 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

Jack  was  in  the  corral  saddling  his  horse  when  some 
one  rode  into  the  yard  and  shouted  to  him  not  to 
think  of  going  out,  that  the  storm  was  bad  enough  for 
a  well  man  to  face.  It  was  Brownie  after  fresh  horses. 
Changing  his  saddle  to  another  horse,  he  went 
into  the  house  to  get  warm,  and  tell  Mrs.  Leslie  the 
Boss  sent  word  for  her  not  to  worry;  they  would  be 
home  as  soon  as  they  could  get  the  dogies  into  the 
hills.  She  wanted  him  to  take  a  lunch,  for  they  had 
had  nothing  to  eat  since  morning,  but  he  said  he  had 
been  instructed  not  to  bother  with  it  as  they 
could  not  stop  to  eat  it.  As  soon  as  he  had  warmed 
his  numbed  fingers,  and  taken  a  cup  of  hot,  strong 
coffee,  he  started  back,  accompanied  by  Jack,  whose 
left  arm  was  still  in  a  sling.  It  was  no  easy  matter 
to  find  the  men  and  cattle  until  they  got  within  hear- 
ing distance,  and  were  guided  by  the  sounds  of  the 
two  Leslies  shouting  at  the  obstinate  beasts. 

Jack  and  Brownie  kept  the  cattle  moving  while  the 
Leslies  changed  horses  and  sent  Tuberculer  to  the 
ranch  with  positive  instructions  not  to  try  to  guide 
the  horse  as  he  would  take  him  safely  home,  so  giv- 
ing Monte  a  loose  rein  he  started  for  the  ranch.  The 
horse  being  tired  it  seemed  a  very  long  distance  to  the 
inexperienced  fellow,  and  he  had  about  made  up  his 
mind  they  must  be  lost.  He  was  chilled  to  the  bone 

82 


IN    DUTY    BOUND 

and  pictures  of  himself  falling  asleep, — "the  last  great 
sleep" — as  he  had  known  of  people  doing,  who  had  been 
frozen  to  death,  rose  up  before  him,  when  he  heard  a 
horse  whinny,  which  welcome  sound  his  faithful  little 
pony  answered.  Looking  up  he  saw  they  were  near- 
ing  the  corral.  Slim  the  cook,  was  in  town  taking  his 
spring  lay-off  for  he  had  told  the  boys  he  had  to  go 
on  a  "high-lonesome"  before  the  heavy  summer  work 
began.  Consequently  Mrs.  Leslie  and  Sunshine  were 
alone  on  the  ranch,  having  volunteered  to  do  the  cook- 
ing until  Slim  should  return.  Mrs.  Leslie  had  seen 
Tuberculer  as  he  came  into  the  yard,  and  putting  on 
one  of  her  husband's  heavy  coats  and  a  cap  she  went 
to  the  barn  to  take  care  of  the  horse,  sending  Tuber- 
culer to  the  house,  for  she  knew  he  was  suffering 
severely  with  the  cold. 

Florence  and  Sunshine  prepared  supper,  but  no  one 
came  to  eat  it,  and  they  had  little  appetite  to  eat  alone. 
It  was  getting  dark  and  they  were  very  anxious. 
Florence  could  stand  it  no  longer,  so  wrapping  her- 
self as  well  as  she  could  in  order  to  be  able  to 
walk,  she  started  out.  Sunshine  protested  and  wanted 
to  go,  but  Florence  felt  she  knew  the  country  better 
so  told  her  to  stay  and  keep  warm  fires  and  the  soup 
and  coffee  hot  for,  she  added,  "I  may  get  very  cold 
myself  before  I  get  back."  Sunshine  assured  her  she 

83 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

would  do  as  she  wished,  but  as  Florence  was  in  deli- 
cate health,  she  feared  grave  consequences.  She  had 
tried  to  dissuade  the  latter  from  her  purpose  but 
nothing  could  change  her  mind,  and  taking  a  lantern 
in  one  hand  and  a  shot  gun  in  the  other,  Mrs.  Leslie 
filled  her  pocket  with  shells  and  started  out.  Follow- 
ing the  pasture  fence  going  east,  she  plowed  and 
stumbled  through  the  snow  until  she  reached  the  top 
of  a  knoll.  She  held  the  gun  in  the  air  and  shot  three 
times;  then  holding  the  lantern  close  to  her,  she 
tramped  round  to  keep  warm.  Every  few  minutes  she 
would  put  the  lantern  down  and  shoot.  After  what 
seemed  a  very  long  time  and  she  began  to  get  very 
cold,  she  listened. 

"What  was  that?"  She  shot  again.  "It  was  an 
answering  shot!"  She  was  cold  no  longer  for  she 
could  jump  around  now  with  real  joy.  Again  she 
shot,  but  at  longer  intervals,  for  she  was  afraid  her 
shells  might  give  out  before  they  could  reach  her. 
When  she  had  used  all  but  the  last  shell,  she  began  to 
shout  as  loud  as  her  lungs  would  allow.  At  first  there 
was  no  answer  and  her  heart  sank,  but  after  waiting 
a  short  time  she  tried  again  and  much  to  her  joy,  her 
husband's  voice  answered  her,  a  little  shaky,  but  nev- 
ertheless the  dear,  familiar  voice !  She  was  trying  so 
hard  to  be  brave,  but  the  trial  of  the  last  few  hours 

84 


'IN    DUTY    BOUND 

lhad  been  very  hard  on  the  not  overly  strong  little 
woman.  She  called  again  and  the  answer  came  very 
close  now,  but  the  men  surely  must  have  been  lost  for 
the  sounds  had  come  directly  from  the  south.  Putting 
the  lantern  on  top  of  the  fence  post  she  could  just 
discern  objects  moving  toward  her.  She  felt  she  must 
not  give  up,  for  they  needed  her  help.  They  would 
be  hungry  and  cold  and  perhaps  ill. 

They  had  reached  her  now  and  she  was  in  her  hus- 
band's arms  while  he  was  calling  her  his  brave,  little 
wife.  Only  for  a  minute  did  she  let  them  stop. 
Brownie  was  leading  Jack's  horse  and  Peddy  who  was 
encouraging  him  to  keep  up  just  a  little  longer,  was 
fairly  dragging  him  along  by  the  arm.  Taking  her 
husband's  hand  she  begged  them  to  hurry.  She  saw 
by  Jack's  heedlessness  and  the  manner  in  which  he 
hung  his  head,  he  would  have  to  be  carried  if  they  did 
not  reach  the  ranch  very  soon. 

They  had  nearly  reached  the  house  when  the  door 
opened  and  a  shot  rang  out.  It  was  Sunshine.  They 
answered  her  with  a  glad  shout.  She  ran  to  them  and 
clasping  Florence  in  her  arms  nearly  carried  her  into 
the  house  telling  her  she  was  a  brave,  brave  dear,  and 
that  she  had  gone  nearly  mad  fearing  they  were  all 
lost  and  must  be  frozen.  Florence  assured  her  she 
was  all  right  and  asked  her  to  go  quickly  to  the  as- 

85 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

sistance  of  the  others.  Just  as  she  turned  toward 
them,  Jack  fell  helplessly  into  a  chair  while  his  head 
sunk  heavily  on  his  breast.  Springing  to  his  side,  she 
called  Tuberculer  to  her  assistance,  and  lifting  him  on 
the  couch,  gave  him  a  drink  of  brandy ;  after  she  had 
rubbed  him  vigorously  for  a  while,  then  gently,  he 
opened  his  eyes  and  tried  to  smile,  but  it  was  a  weak, 
tired  smile.  Inquiring  if  the  others  were  there,  he 
was  told  they  were,  so  closed  his  eyes  again  and 
seemed  to  sleep.  The  rest  of  the  party  were  much 
better  and  Mrs.  Leslie  being  assured  they  were  all 
right,  felt  the  necessity  of  a  little  rest  and  quiet,  so 
retired. 

The  hot  soup  and  warm  fire  had  done  much  toward 
reviving  every  one  with  the  exception  of  Jack  who 
had  been  weaker  than  he  thought  and  had  taxed  his 
strength  much  too  far.  Sunshine  and  Tuberculer 
announced  their  determination  to  do  what  they  could 
for  him  at  least  the  first  part  of  the  night,  while  the 
tired  ones  rested,  and  if  he  grew  no  better  they  would 
arouse  Peddy  and  Brownie  toward  morning.  How- 
ever, after  the  others  had  gone  to  bed,  Jack  was 
seized  with  chills  which  they  could  not  stop  until  day- 
light was  peeping  in  through  the  windows.  Then 
fever  took  their  place  and  when  Peddy  came  to  see 
him  about  sun-up,  he  was  going  over  in  his  mind  the 

86 


IN    DUTY    BOUND 

terrible  experience  of  trying  to  overtake  Satan  and 

r  save  Sunshine. 

»  Harry  came  home  about  eleven  o'clock  and  finding 
his  pal  so  sick,  offered  to  make  the  trip  to  town  for  a 
doctor  which  offer  Mr.  Leslie  gladly  accepted.  Every- 
thing possible  was  done  for  the  sufferer,  who  seemed 
to  be  in  great  pain.  They  had  no  sooner  put  the  hot 
applications  on  one  part  than  the  pain  moved  to  an- 
other ;  from  shoulder  to  elbow  then  to  the  wrist,  from 
whence  it  would  take  a  turn  in  the  other  shoulder. 
Harry  rode  Prince,  Jack's  trusty  horse,  as  he  was 
large  and  strong  and  swift.  The  roads  were  drifted 
over  very  badly  in  places,  and  he  did  not  reach  the 

little  town  of  L until  nearly  dark,  and  found  Dr. 

C.  A.  Magahy,  the  new  physician,  out  on  a  case  that 
he  could  not  possibly  leave  until  morning.  There  was 
nothing  for  Harry  to  do  but  wait,  and  early  mjorning 
found  them  on  their  way,  reaching  the  sick  man  about 
one  o'clock.  After  an  examination,  the  doctor  pro- 
nounced it  rheumatism  and  proceeded  to  do  all  that 
was  possible  to  alleviate  his  suffering.  Dr.  Magahy 
having  met  Jack  while  on  his  trip  to  town  after  Sun- 
shine, had  taken  a  great  fancy  to  the  honest,  dark 
eyed  cowboy,  and  told  him  as  soon  as  the  weather 
would  permit  if  they  would  bring  him  to  town  he 
would  himself  accompany  him  to  Hot  Springs,  South 

87 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

Dakota,  and  place  him  in  the  care  of  a  doctor  who  had 
a  sanitarium  where  the  baths  would  do  him  more 
good  than  medicine. 

The  warm  spring  sun  and  chinook  winds  soon 
melted  the  snow,  and  Harry  and  the  Boss  took  Jack 
to  town,  and  stayed  with  him  until  the  train  pulled 
out  bearing  him  and  the  doctor  with  it  to  what  prom- 
ised to  be  health  and  strength. 

Mr.  Leslie  had  found  an  opportunity  to  tell  Dr. 
Mahagy  to  see  everything  that  was  possible  was 
done  to  relieve  the  invalid.  "As  loyalty  to  me  has 
caused  this  suffering,  so  shall  my  loyalty  to  him  as  a 
friend,  see  him  out  of  it,"  said  the  Boss. 

When  Jack  left  the  ranch  he  asked  Sunshine 
whether  she  would  still  be  there  when  he  returned.  "I 
shall  stay  until  Fall,  and  I  hope  to  have  many  a  pleas- 
ant ride  with  you  before  then,"  and  holding  out  her 
hand  she  wished  him  a  speedy  return  of  his  usual 
good  health,  and  tried  to  be  very  calm,  but  with  a 
great  effort.  Noticing  this,  the  perspiration  stood  out 
on  his  face.  Could  it  be,  did  he  dare  to  believe,  this 
girl  really  cared  for  him?  No, — he  must  not  let  him- 
self even  think  it,  for  fear  he  would  have  to  face  a 
terrible  disappointment.  "She  is  very  sympathetic  and 
only  thinks  of  me  as  a  sufferer,"  he  said  to  himself. 

At  the  Springs  the  doctor  had  told  him  if  he  kept 


IN    DUTY    BOUND 

on  improving  he  could  go  back  to  the  ranch  in  two 
weeks.  He  was  thinking  what  a  long  two  weeks  it 
would  seem.  When  he  was  able  to  walk  around  he 
went  to  the  post  office  one  day,  believing  perhaps 
Harry  might  write  a  few  lines  telling  him  what  the 
boys  were  doing,  and  maybe  he  would  mention  Sun- 
shine. There  was  not  only  one  letter  but  three.  One 
was  from  Harry  and  one  from  the  Boss.  How  kind 
and  thoughtful  of  him!  The  other  was  a  dainty, 
square  envelope  emitting  a  delicate  odor  of  violets. 
With  a  much  lighter  step  and  a  smile  that  was  sym- 
bolical of  the  joy  he  felt,  he  made  his  way  back  to  the 
seclusion  of  his  room.  Harry  wrote  that  the  boys 
were  nearly  all  on  the  round-ups  and  he  would  leave 
the  next  morning  to  join  the  Twenty-one;  it  would 
start  at  the  U-L  on  Lance  creek ;  also  that  Prince  was 
doing  fine  under  the  care  of  Sunshine,  who  allowed  no 
one  else  to  ride  him,  but  herself.  Mr.  Leslie,  that  he 
missed  him  very  much.  He  also  wrote  they,  meaning 
himself,  his  wife  and  Sunshine,  were  staying  in  town 
for  a  few  months  and  would  be  glad  when  he  would 
be  able  to  get  back  to  the  ranch  to  help  Peddy  look 
after  things.  "I  have  a  surprise  for  you  when  you 
come,"  he  had  said  in  a  postscript.  Leaving  the  one 
which  meant  most  to  him,  till  the  last  (of  course  it 

89 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

was  from  Sunshine)   with  none  too  steady  fingers, 

he  opened  it. 

"Dear  Friend:"  it  began,  "I  know  you  will 
want  to  know  how  Prince  is.  He  is  the 
most  sensible  horse  I  ever  saw.  We  came 
to  town  to  stay  for  a  few  months  and  I 
coaxed  Mr.  Leslie  to  let  me  bring  him  with 
us*  for  I  was  afraid  the  boys  would  neglect 
him.  I  ride  him  often.  Write  and  let  us 
know  how  you  are  getting  along.  Hoping 
you  are  improving  very  fast,  I  am, 

Sincerely  your  friend, 

Sunshine  Golden." 
"  'Taint  so  bad  bein'  a  hoss,  after  all,"  he  said,  and 

putting  all  three  letters  in  his  pocket,  determined  to 

return  in  a  week  or  so,  if  he  continued  to  improve. 


90 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

THE  ROUND-UP. 

The  bunk  house  door  swung  back  with  a  bang,  and 
Slim  who  had  reached  the  ranch  late  the  previous 
night,  after  his  long  spree,  sang  out:  "Roll  out,  you 
lazy  time-killers;  the  young  Boss  called  you  nigh  on 
to  two  hours  ago.  Slide  into  you  duds,  coze  I  see 
him  acomin'  down  in  the  pasture  on  a  high  gallop 
with  your  horses  for  the  round-up,  and  not  a  cow 
puncher  with  his  breakfast  down  ready  to  help  him 
cut  'em  out." 

When  Peddy  had  the  horses  in  the  corral  they  had 
dressed,  washed  and  gulped  down  a  breakfast  that 
would  have  taken  a  man  of  leisure,  two  hours  to  eat. 
For  nowhere  have  I  found  men  who  could  eat  as  large 
meals  in  as  little  time  with  as  healthy  a  digestion 
as  a  cowboy. 

What  a  sight  for  an  Easterner  the  corral  would  have 
been  that  morning!  Five  cowboys  with  ropes  flying 
in  the  air  to  nestle  around  the  neck  of  some  fighting, 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

snorting  bronch  that  was  taken  resisting,  through 
a  gate  into  an  adjoining  corral!  When  each  had 
caught  nine  horses,  the  number  they  deemed  necessary 
for  every  man,  the  others  were  turned  out  for  use 
when  they  should  return  with  the  present  string  "all 
in,"  and  deserving  a  rest.  One  horse  in  each  string 
is  used  to  carry  the  pack  or  bed.  Buck  Saffel,  who 
was  one  of  the  new  members  of  the  JA6  force,  was 
a  large,  jolly,  fearless  rider  who  was  willing  to  take 
the  worst  horses  of  the  outfit  that  poor  unfortunate 
Jack  had  chosen  for  his  string  before  meeting  with  his 
accident. 

Harry  and  Sam  Thomas  (or  Uncle  Sammy  as  the 
boys  called  him)  were  sent  to  join  the  Twenty-one 
round-up  starting  from  the  "U  bar  L"  (U — L) 
on  Lance  Creek,  working  down  Lance  Creek  to  the 
mouth  of  Old  Woman,  then  Lightning  Creek  from 
the  mouth  to  the  Beaver  Dams,  working  all  the  trib- 
utaries, then  Cow  Creek  and  tributaries,  which  will  in- 
clude Snyder  and  Bull  Creeks — thence  Cheyenne  River 
from  the  Fiddleback  Ranch  down  to  the  mouth  of 
Black  Thunder,  and  work  Black  Thunder  and  Little 
Thunder  to  the  head  of  said  creeks,  also  working  all 
their  tributaries. 

No  wild-west  show  can  exhibit  the  cowboy  and  his 
wily  little  bronch  as  they  are  in  their  natural  elements. 

92 


THE   ROUND    UP 

The  mad  ride  on  the  untrained  equine  is  to  the  cow- 
puncher  what  the  chariot  races  were  to  the  Romans, 
and  the  bull-fight  to  the  Spaniards.  For  many  years 
it  was  the  only  source  of  blood-stirring  amusement  on 
the  vast  plains  of  the  West.  A  man's  knowledge  was 
gauged  by  his  ability  to  "set-em,"  and  his  agility  in 
"drawing  a  gun."  Buck  was  taking  a  few  of  the 
"kinks"  out  of  his  bronch  before  starting  out  with 
eight  of  the  snortiest  ones  the  ranch  could  boast  of. 
After  a  few  rounds  were  made  he  stopped,  and  reach- 
ing out  his  hand,  asked  Harry  for  the  "makings," 
while  holding  the  reins  in  one  hand  and  at  the  same 
time  using  the  other  and  his  teeth  he  made  a  cigarette 
and  waited  for  the  bronch  to  decide  whether  he  liked 
to  go  up  and  down  or  back  and  forth. 

"Well  bronch,"  said  Buck,  "you  can  dance  the  rest 
of  this  out  by  yu'sef  while  I  get  these  here  others 
ready  for  the  big  drive,"  and  proceeded  to  tie  the 
pack  on  the  wildest  member  of  his  string,  which  was 
no  plaything,  when  it  came  to  resistance.  After  a 
fierce  struggle  he  succeeded  in  fastening  the  pack  se- 
curely on  its  back,  also  in  tying  two  more  horses,  one 
behind  the  other,  to  its  tail.  Three  more  he  fastened 
in  similar  manner  leaving  the  remaining  two  free,  for 
they  would  not  leave  the  others,  and  in  this  manner, 
he  could  control  them  all. 

93 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

"Your  instructions  Peddy,  and  I'll  be  hitting  the 
trail,  for  it's  a  long  fifty  miles  to  the  Fiddleback,  and 
can't  say  I  relish  adrivin'  them  snaky  bronchs  by 
moonlight." 

"I  think  you  can  make  Taylor's  before  dark. 
Put  the  horses  in  the  corral.  If  you  turned 
them  in  the  pasture  they  would  be  back  here  by  day- 
light. I  am  quite  sure  you  can  catch  the  Four- jay 
wagon  before  they  leave  the  Fiddleback  ranch  next 
morning.  I  cannot  say  where  you  will  have  to  go 
from  there  as  I  do  not  know  how  they  expect  to  work, 
but  you  can  work  with  them  till  they  break  up,  driv- 
ing everything  along  and  bringing  all  with  you.  The 
rest  I  leave  to  your  judgment.  So-long  and  good 
luck!" 

"Thanks,  I'll  not  forget,  Peddy.    So-long." 

Buck  had  not  gone  far  before  he  realized  he  had 
made  a  big  mistake  in  not  putting  the  pack  horse  be- 
tween the  other  two.  They  led  him  a  merry  chase 
and  the  moon  was  shining  when  he  turned  them  into 
Taylor's  corral,  and  you  can  bet  the  next  day  found 
the  mistake  rectified  and  the  bad  pack  horse  between 
his  followers  of  the  previous  day. 

Harry  and  Uncle  Sammy  had  very  little  trouble 
getting  their  horses  over  the  six  miles  to  the  U — L 
where  they  joined  the  round-up,  and  threw  them  into 

94 


THE   ROUND    UP 

the  cavey  under  the  watchful  (?)  eye  of  the  horse 
jingler. 

No  country  lad  from  the  green  mountains  of  old 
Vermont,  or  the  north  woods  of  Wisconsin,  ever 
laughed  so  hard,  or  acted  more  foolish  at  a  circus 
than  does  the  cowboy,  be  he  young  or  old,  in  the 
first  few  days  of  the  Spring  round-up. 

Some  have  spent  a  hard  winter  riding — facing 
freezing,  blinding  blizzards.  Not  Eastern  blizzards, 
where  the  mountains  break  the  wind  and  the  snow 
comes  fluttering  down  in  soft  feathery  flakes,  but  a 
blizzard  of  the  plains,  where  the  wind  blows  fifty  to 
seventy  miles  an  hour,  whipping  the  snow  to  powder 
that  sticks  to  clothes  and  face  in  a  frozen  mass,  and 
sifts  like  flour  through  every  crevice.  If  you  have 
never  seen  one,  you  cannot  realize  its  severity. 
Some  who  had  saved  a  little  of  their  summer's 
wages,  hung  around  the  towns  gambling  or  doing 
odd  jobs,  chafing  like  caged  lions  for  the  first 
signs  of  Spring,  and  life — real  life,  once  more.  Do 
you  wonder  that  the  Spring  round-up  is  a  sort  of 
jollification  party  where  everyone  tells  his  joys  and 
sorrows  since  the  gathering  of  the  last  shipment  of 
beef  in  the  Fall  ? 

The  "reps"  had  been  falling  in  from  all  directions 
since  nine  o'clock,  some  coming  long,  and  some  short 

95 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

distances,  until  twenty-five  cowboys  were  in  camp. 
The  cook  had  been  busy  for  some  time  and  the  boys 
were  beginning  to  sniff  in  the  direction  of  the  Dutch 
oven  from  which  savory  odors  were  floating  when  a 
voice  sang  out  just  over  the  bank  of  the  creek. 

"Hey  there,  you  loafers,  is  this  the  Twenty-one?" 
Glances  were  quickly  exchanged  in  camp;  then  a 
smooth  talking  individual  stepped  to  the  edge  of  the 
bank  and  said : 

"Yes  sir;  this  is  the  Twenty-one  round-up;  any- 
thing we  can  do  for  you  ?" 

"Yes;  get  your  horses  and  help  me  get  these 
damned  crazy  bronchs  in  that  cavern." 

Eyes  twinkled,  teeth  gleamed  and  sides  shook,  but 
Mr.  Swellhead  over  the  bank  was  none  the  wiser.  All 
hands  were  soon  in  their  saddles,  but  not  too  soon  to 
hear  Posy's  undertone  remark  that  "the  court  of  the 
Kangaroo  would  sutenly  have  to  convene  before  they 
made  a  drive."  And  convene  it  did  ere  the  sun  went 
down  that  day. 

It  took  but  a  few  minutes  for  experienced  hands  to 
get  the  equally  experienced  horses  in  the  cavey. 

"Who  you  rep'n  for?"  was  asked  of  the  ostentatious 
gentleman. 

"I'm  no  rep.  I  came  to  take  charge  of  the  horses 
for  this  round-up,"  was  the  condescending  reply. 

96 


THE   ROUND    UR 

"Then  how'd  you  come  by  the  horses  you  brot  in  ?" 

"They  belong  to  another  fellow  that  was  comin' 
here  too.  He  asked  me  to  bring  them  while  he  went 
after  a  'bunch-quitter'." 

"What's  your  name,  young  feller?"  he  was  asked 
by  the  wagon  boss. 

"Mr.  Jack  Jensen."     (With  head  very  much  erect). 

Tom  Horn,  jumping  up  from  his  seat  on  the  bed- 
wagon  tongue,  holding  his  hand  up  for  a  society 
hand-shake,  assured  Mr.  Jensen  they  were  very  much 
gratified  with  the  company  of  so  honorable  a  gentle- 
man. The  broncho  kid,  from  an  English  home,  bowed 
low  before  him,  and  addressed  him  as  follows : 

"The  kid,  Me  lord,  who  will  be  pleased  to  be  of 
service  to  you." 

George  Hill,  stepping  very  gingerly,  announced  to 
"Me  lord"  that  "luncheon"  was  ready  and  would  be- 
served  in  the  open.  The  boys  gathered  round  the 
cook  pots  and  dutch-oven  and  helped  themselves  to  a 
generous  amount  of  beans,  potatoes,  boiled  beef,  hot 
biscuits  and  coffee.  Then  sitting  on  the  ground  with 
legs  crossed  like  a  Turk's,  used  them  for  a  table.  Bill 
Smith,  the  cook,  noticing  "Me  lord"  standing  with 
plate  in  hand,  not  seeming  to  know  what  to  do  next, 
told  him  to  pitch  in  and  help  hisse'f,  and  if  he  couldn't, 
he  better  go  home  to  his  maw,  'cause  they  never  car- 

97 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

ried  no  "bottles"  along,  'twas  so  seldom  they  had  any 
babies  in  camp. 

"When  you  are  through  your  dinner,  Me  lord,  you 
can  go  and  take  charge  of  the  horses  and  send  the 
fellow  that's  herding  them  in  to  dinner,"  the  Boss 
told  him.  He  left  camp  with  head  a  little  lower  than 
when  he  rode  in.  On  reaching  the  horses  he  was 
saluted  with  "How'dy,  pard  ?" 

Tm  no  pard  of  yours,"  he  answered  rather  sullenly. 

"I'm  mighty  glad  on't  old  man,  but  you  better  get 
off  your  high  horse  if  you  expect  to  stay  with  the 
round-up."  Then  wheeling  his  horse  around,  the 
grinning  old  puncher  galloped  off  to  camp. 

When  he  had  been  about  an  hour  alone,  Me  lord 
started  after  a  few  of  the  horses  that  had  strayed  a 
little  away  from  the  rest,  and  stuck  his  spurs  into  his 
own  steed  to  hurry  him  along,  when  down  went  his 
head,  and  up  went  Me  lord,  then  down  went  Me  lord 
and  up  went  the  steed.  The  first  thought  that  flashed 
through  his  "unsettled"  mind  was  fear  that  he  might 
be  seen  by  some  of  the  boys  from  the  camp,  for  he 
was  choking  the  saddle  horn  unmercifully  and  had 
lost  his  hat  and  also  his  reins.  Right  into  the  bunch 
that  fool  horse  went,  scattering  the  frightened  herd 
in  all  directions.  Straight  for  camp  they  headed,  his 
own  horse  in  the  very  middle,  He  could  do  nothing 

08 


THE   ROUND.    UP. 

to  stop  him  for  he  had  no  reins.  Just  before  reaching 
the  camp  they  turned  and  started  the  other  way. 
Tom  Horn  seeing  him  in  the  midst  of  the  bunch, 
like  a  flash  realizing  what  had  happened,  jumped  on 
his  horse  and  started  in  pursuit.  Just  before  Tom 
reached  him  he  released  his  grip  on  the  horn  and  was 
riding  along  dejectedly  when  Tom  seized  his  reins 
and  led  him  into  camp,  turned  him  over  to  the  boys, 
and  went  back  to  help  Fuzzy  and  Uncle  Sammy 
gather  the  badly  scattered  horses. 

After  the  horses  were  gathered,  and  turned  over  to 
the  "night  hawk,"  the  three  punchers  came  back  and 
demanded  that  Me  lord  be  tried  in  Kangaroo  Court, 
according  to  the  laws  of  the  Twenty-one  round-up, 
which  were  as  follows : 
Offense  No.  I :  Getting  thrown  from  bucking 

bronch  making  less  than  five  jumps. 
Penalty:  Twenty  strokes  with  chaps  and  hair 

clipped  tight  to  head. 

Offense  No.  2:  Pulling  leather  on  bucking  bronch. 
Penalty:  Hanging  from  wagon  tongue  or 

any  suitable  place. 
Offense  No.     3 :  Beating  bronchs. 
Penalty:  Twenty-five  strokes  with  chaps  and 

soused  in  creek. 

99 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

Offense  No.    4:  Cussing  during  chuck  hours. 
Penalty:  Prisoner    must    be    placed    across 

rolled    bed   and   given   twenty-five 

strokes  with  chaps. 

Offense  No.     5 :  Wearing  dirty  clothes. 
Penalty:  Twenty  strokes  with  chaps. 

Offense  No.    6:  Wearing  ragged  clothes. 
Penalty:  Fifteen  strokes  with  chaps. 

Offense  No.     7:  Kicking  about  chuck  or  water. 
Penalty :  Ten  strokes  with  six-shooter  belt. 

Offense  No.     8:  Snoozing    after    being     called     to 

stand  guard. 
Penalty:  Take     place    of    night-hawk     two 

nights. 

Offense  No.    9 :  Going  to  sleep  on  herd. 
Penalty:  Tied  to  wagon    wheel    or    tree    in 

standing  position  six  hours. 
Offense  No.     10.  Riding    in    bed-wagon    when    not 

positively  disabled. 
Penalty:  Ten  strokes    with    six-shooter  belt 

and    forced    to    eat    tablespoonful 

axle-grease. 

Ben  Pozey  was  selected  to  assume  the  part  of  judge 
because  he  was  foreman  for  Jake  Mill,  the  owner  of 
the  range  they  were  then  on,  and  where  the  terrible 
crime  had  been  committed.  The  prisoner  was  allowed 

ICO 


THE   ROUND    UP 

to  choose  three  of  the  jurors  and  an  attorney  to  defend 
him.  With  defiance  in  his  eye,  he  selected  his  de- 
fender who  was  none  other  than  Uncle  Sammy.  To 
serve  as  jurors  he  asked  Geo.  Hill,  Bob  Jurden,  and 
Roy  Cassidy.  The  judge  told  Jib  Moore,  (a  bright 
youth  whose  father  was  the  owner  of  extensive  cattle 
interests  near  Douglas)  he  was  to  act  as  attorney  for 
the  prosecution.  He  took  Oliver  Lawrence,  Harry 
Stanley  and  Cody  Shippen  for  the  three  other  jurors 
while  Tom  Horn  was  unanimously  chosen  as 
"sheriff."  Rolled  up  camp  beds  were  brought  forth 
in  order  to  be  used  as  seats,  and  the  trial  of  the  tender- 
foot began.  Everyone  was  sworn  "in"  or  "out" 
whichever  happened  to  suit  the  judge. 

"Curley  Jensen,  alias  Me  lord,  you  are  hawled  afore 
this  bunch  accused  of  the  crime  of  gripping  the  saddle 
horn  with  both  hands,"  began  the  judge.  "This, 
young  feller,  is  one  of  the  most  cowardly  acts  a  cow- 
puncher  can  be  accused  of,  so  you  don't  need  to  think 
you  will  be  promoted  or  fed  on  peaches,  and  cow's 
cream.  But  I'm  hopin'  we  won't  have  to  feed  your 
carcass  to  the  wolves  an'  the  eagles.  Fire  away,  Jib, 
the  court's  all  set  an'  awaitin'  for  you." 

Jib  took  his  place  and  called  the  witnesses,  making 
them  take  an  oath  to  tell  the  truth  and  only  the  truth, 
etc. 


101 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

"Fuzzy,  tell  what  you  know  about  the  case.     Do 
you  know  this  man?" 
"Yes." 

'How  long  have  you  known  him  ?" 

"About  twenty-four  hours." 

"Where  did  you  first  see  him?" 

"On  twenty-mile  divide." 

"Was  he  riding?" 

"Yes." 

"What  kind  of .  a  horse?" 

"Big  horse  called  Brown  Sugar." 

"Would  you  consider  him  a  good  rider?" 

"No.    He  is  too  much  afraid." 

"Why  do  you  think  he  is  afraid  ?" 

"'Cause  he  kept  one  mit  on  the  saddle  horn  all 
the  time." 

"Did  you  see  him  commit  the  crime  he  is  now  being 
tried  for?" 

"Well  I'd  tell  a  man." 

"What  horse  was  he  riding?" 

"He  were  tryin'  to  ride  'Dam'd— if— I— -do.' " 

"What  is  that  horse  branded  ?" 

"He's  a  Twenty-one." 

"That's  enough,  Fuzzy.  I'll  let  Sammy  see  if  you 
follow  Geo.  Washington's  or  Bill  Nye's  tracks,"  with" 
which  Sammy  asked: 

102 


THE   ROUND    UP. 

"Do  you  know  the  defendant?" 

"Slightly." 

"How  long  does  it  take  you  to  size  a  man  up?" 

"Oh!    From  one  to  twenty-four  hours." 

"Do  you  think  he  was  doing  his  best  at  riding  that 
horse?" 

"If  you  call  choking  the  saddle-horn  with  both  fists, 
dropping  the  reins,  and  losing  both  stirrrups,  doing 
your  best — yes." 

"What  was  the  color  of  the  horse  you  saw  him 
ride?" 

"On  twenty-mile  or  here?" 

"Here." 

"Black." 

"I  am  through  with  you." 

The  judge  dismissed  him  and  ordered  Happy 
Hoolegan  brought  forward. 

"Happy,"  said  Jib,  "do  you  solemnly  swear't?" 

"I'll  be  hanged  if  I  know  if  I  ever  swore  that-a-way 
or  not,  but  I  swear  mighty  rank,  once't  in  a  while." 

"Do  you  swear  to  tell  the  truth  about  the  prisoner  ?" 

"Yesjdam'dif  I  don't." 

"Do  you  know  this  man?" 

"Slightly." 

"What  do  you  know  of  him  as  a  rider?" 

103 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

"I  know  that  if  he  could  hold  their  heads  up  as  well 
as  he  can  his  own,  he  could  stay  a  long  time." 

"Do  you  think  he  had  any  show  to  ride  the  horse 
that  run  into  the  cavey?" 

"Sure." 

"Do  you  know  the  horse  he  rode?" 

"Yes." 

"Describe  him." 

"What's  the  use?  Every  feller  here  knows  'Dam'd — 
if — I — do' — even  Me  lord." 

"Do  you  know  this  man  Jensen:" 

"Made  his  acquaintance  same  time  you  did." 

"Don't  you  think  you  are  going  pretty  strong  when 
you  say  you  are  'sure'  he  had  a  chance  to  ride  the 
horse  that  ran  into  the  cavey  ?" 

'No." 

"Why?" 

"  'Cause  anyone  that  can  saddle  a  bronch,  can  ride 
that  one,  long's  he  don't  try  to  force  him  into  the 
water,  but  no  puncher  in  this  here  camp  can  ride  him 
through  a  river." 

"Would  you  swear  that  he  pulled  leather?" 

"I'll  stay  with  it,  swearin'  or  cussin'!" 

With  that,  the  judge  dismissed  him. 

"Mr.  Sheriff,  bring  in  Upton  Poolman." 

104 


THE   ROUND    UP 

"Say  feller,  raise  your  mit  and  swear  you  will  tell 
nothing  but  the  truth." 

"Can't  do  it,  Boss,  'less  you  tell  me  what  you  goin' 
to  ask  me  'bout." 

"Why,  about  Me  lord,  of  course." 

"All  right;  I  promise;  fire  away." 

"Do  you  know  this  man  ?" 

"A  short  time." 

"Did  you  ever  see  him  ride?" 

"I  did." 

"Where?" 

"Over  yondah  'cross  the  creek." 

"How  was  he  ridin'?" 

"On  a  horse." 

"What  horse?" 

"Dynamite." 

"Describe  him." 

"He's  a  large  dark  horse,  branded  with  a  fiddle- 
back,  on  his  left  shoulder." 

"Would  you  call  the  defendant  a  good  rider?" 

"No,  he  is  too  much  of  a  farmer." 

"Why  do  you  think  he  is  too  much  of  a  farmer  to 
ride?" 

"He's  got  big  hands  and  feet  and  sits  all  over  the 
horse  at  once." 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

"Did  you  see  him  when  he  held  the  saddle  horn  in 
the  cavey?" 

"I  saw  him  ride  but  did  not  see  him  hang  to  saddle- 
horn." 

"I  am  through  with  you.    Jib,  you  can  have  him." 

"Did  you  see  the  defendant  when  he  rode  into  cavey 
on  'Dam'd— if— I— do'?" 

"I  did." 

"You  say  you  did  not  see  him  holding  saddle- 
horn?" 

"No." 

"Did  you  see  him  drop  his  reins  ?" 

"Yes." 

"Why  did  he  drop  them?" 

"Could  not  say  as  to  that." 

"Would  you  drop  your  reins  under  same  condi- 
tions?" 

"Hardly." 

"That's  all." 

The  judge  dismissed  him  and  ordered  High-stepper 
who  refused  to  come  and  was  forced  at  the  point  of 
a  45  Colts,  to  obey  the  order  of  the  court.  He  was 
sworn  in  and  Sammy  began  to  fire  the  questions. 

"High-stepper,  do  you  know  the  prisoner?" 

"Not  much." 

106 


THE   ROUND    UP. 

"Did  you  see  him  ride  just  after  dinner  when  his 
horse  scattered  the  cavey?" 

"I  did." 

"Did  he  lose  his  stirrups?" 

"Yes." 

"Both?" 

"Yes." 

"Did  he  seem  frightened?" 

"Scared  like  a  wild  bronch,  with  a  saddle  under  his 
belly." 

"Did  he  have  hold  of  the  saddle-horn  with  both 
hands  when  you  saw  him  ?" 

"He  had  hold  with  one  hand,  but  am  dead  sure  he 
never  had  with  two." 

"Why  are  you  so  sure?" 

"  'Cause  I  never  seen  no  saddle-horn  big  enough  to 
hold  two  front  paws  like  them." 

"Do  you  think  he  could  ride  if  he  had  the  nerve  ?" 

"Don't  think  he  will  ever  have  the  nerve." 

"What  makes  you  think  he  will  never  have  the 
nerve  ?" 

"Did  you  ever  see  a  feller  with  yeller  boots  and  long 
shanked  spurs  that  could  stay  till  the  cayuse  got 
enough  ?" 

"That  will  do  High-stepper,  for  my  part;  pard  let 
Jib  get  a  whack  at  you  now." 

107 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

"Did  you  see  this  man  when  he  lost  his  stirrups?" 
asked  Jib. 

"I  did." 

"Were  you  on  the  left  or  right  side  of  him?" 

"Right  side." 

"If  you  were  on  right  side,  how  could  you  see  that 
he  lost  his  left  stirrup  ?" 

"Don't  remember." 

"You  better  strengthen  that  memory  of  yours  with 
a  little  bitters  or  we  might  have  occasion  to  hold  an- 
other session  of  this  here  court." 

"High-stepper,  you  are  excused,"  said  the  solemn 
faced  Judge.  Then  turning  to  the  prosecuting  at- 
torney he  told  him  to  hurry  along  with  his  little  "say- 
so." 

Jib  stood  up,  took  off  his  hat,  threw  it  on  the 
ground,  planted  his  foot  on  the  rim,  to  keep  the  wind 
from  carrying  it  away,  and  scratching  his  head  vig- 
orously, began. 

"Gentlemen  of  the  jury:  You  have  all  heard  the 
evidence,  and  you  all  know  the  West  hates  a  coward. 
We  have  no  room  for  him.  We  don't  want  men  that 
will  let  a  horse-brute  go  one  better  than  him,  for  they 
wa'nt  made  to  out-wit  or  out-do  a  human.  There  are 
heaps  of  places  where  a  man  don't  need  no  sand — be- 
hind the  plow,  where  all  they  have  to  do  is  keep  steady 

108 


THE   ROUND    UP 

and  keep  going,  or  behind  a  counter  measuring  rib- 
bon and  looking  pretty.  We  hain't  got  room  out  here 
for  fellers  that  hides  their  heads  when  they  see  a  few 
flashes  of  lightning,  and  hollers  "Ma!"  when  they 
hear  a  gray  wolf  howl.  If  our  fathers  had  been  of 
that  breed,  the  West  would  never  been  discovered; 
they  couldn't  have  faced  the  Reds."  Then  bowing  to 
the  judge  he  sat  down. 

Sammy  had  nothing  to  say,  so  the  judge  told  the 
Jury  they  knew  what  the  law  on  the  21  round  up  was, 
regarding  the  "pulling  of  leather,"  beating  bronchs, 
etc.,  so  they  could  take  themselves  over  the  creek-bank 
and  decide  their  verdict.  They  returned  in  fifteen 
minutes  with  a  verdict  of  guilty,  and  in  favor  of 
hanging.  Judge  Posey  rose  to  his  feet,  and  after 
clearing  his  throat,  announced : 

"Curley  Jensen,  you  are  found  guilty  of  pulling 
leather  on  a  horse  called  'Dam'd — if — I — do,'  belong- 
ing to  the  21  outfit.  The  only  sentence  for  such  a 
crime,  known  to  this  court,  is  death,  by  hanging.  The 
written  law  is  strict,  but  the  unwritten  law  knows  no 
clemency.  Mr.  Sheriff,  take  your  prisoner  to  that 
tree  that  has  the  limb  sticking  out  to  the  bank  of  the 
creek." 

With  white  face  and  uneven  step,  Me  lord  marched 
in  front  of  a  45  calibre  gun.  A  hangman's  knot  was 

109 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

made  in  a  saddle-rope  and  placed  around  his  neck,  the 
other  end  thrown  over  a  limb  and  a  handkerchief 
placed  over  his  eyes. 

"Have  you  anything  to  say  ?"  he  was  asked.  After 
he  told  them  he  had  not,  he  felt  his  hands  being  tied 
behind  his  back,  and  something  being  drawn  tight 
around  his  waist — he  supposed  to  keep  his  hands 
down.  He  now  heard  Tom  Horn  tell  them  when  he 
said  three,  to  pull  hard. 

"I  will  not  give  them  the  satisfaction  of  weaken- 
ing," he  thought,  "even  if  I  did  play  coward  on  that 
horse !" 

Then  he  heard :  "One,  two,"  and  the  shivers  ran  all 
through  him.  He  had  scarcely  had  time  to  hear  the 
three,  when  he  found  himself  high  in  the  air.  But 
how  was  this  ?  The  rope  was  not  tight  on  his  throat. 
His  hands  and  feet  were  free,  and  taking  the  bandage 
from  his  eyes,  he  saw  he  was  suspended  by  his  waist, 
a  cinch  being  placed  around  him  and  a  rope  put 
through  it  was  fastened  to  the  limb,  while  the  one 
around  his  neck  was  quite  loose.  Try  as  he  would, 
he  could  not  unfasten  rope  or  cinch.  It  was  getting 
very  dark  now,  and  had  been  very  quiet,  since  the  word 
"three"  was  spoken  by  Horn.  How  long  he  hung 
there  he  could  not  say,  but  was  sure  it  must  be  hours 
when  he  felt  himself  being  lowered  slowly  to  the 

no 


Then  he  heard:  "One,  two!* 


THE    ROUND    UP 

ground.  No  one  spoke  to  him  and  he  could  see  no 
one,  but  he  asked  no  questions.  He  had  just  suc- 
ceeded in  removing  rope  and  cinch  when  the  rain 
came  pattering  down.  Moving  slowly  he  found 
his  bed,  and  crawled  in,  and  was  planning  revenge 
for  such  a  hideous  joke,  when  a  soft  hand 
touched  his  face,  and  after  finding  his  hand,  placed 
in  it  a  biscuit,  and  a  piece  of  meat.  In  the 
othef,  a  cup  of  coffee  that  was  still  fairly  warm.  He 
tried  to  reach  for  the  hand  of  the  man  that  had  be- 
friended him  but  only  succeeded  in  touching  the  back 
of  the  quickly  withdrawn  member, — not  quick  enough, 
however,  to  keep  him  from  discovering  that  a  ring  was 
worn  on  the  little  finger. 

Morning  found  the  Tenderfoot  up  before  the  others, 
and  with  determination  in  every  move,  saddling 
'Dam — if — I — do,'  the  brute  that  caused  his  downfall. 
Gathering  the  reins  in  his  hand,  he  confided  to  the 
bronch,  "I'll  ride  you  straight-up  or  start  for  home 
to-morrow."  He  had  scarcely  touched  the  saddle, 
when  down  went  that  branch's  head,  and  he  made 
straight  for  the  sleeping  punchers,  who,  hearing  the 
noise,  jumped  to  their  feet,  and  in  the  drizzling  rain, 
without  their  outer  garments,  gazed  in  wonder  at  the 
man  they  had  left  hanging  to  the  tree  the  night  before. 

He  did  not  seem  to  see  them,  but  plied  quirt  and 

TIT 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

spurs,  with  those  powerful  feet  and  hands,  till  "Dam — 
if — I — do"  gave  up  completely,  and  stood  with  head 
down  appearing  as  dejected  as  his  rider  had,  the  night 
before.  Me  lord  turned  to  the  boys  and  after  re- 
moving his  hat,  said : 

"Boys,  I  thank  you,  for  if  you  had  not  done  it,  I 
should  have  been  a  coward  all  my  life." 

"Boys,"  said  Judge  Posey,  "let  us  change  the  ver- 
dict to  'Not  Guilty'  and  give  three  cheers  for  the 
Boston  Tenderfoot." 

And  amid  this  gladsome  sound,  he  rode  away  to  re- 
lieve the  night-hawk. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

CHAS.   LESLIE,  JR. 

Great  had  been  the  anxiety  in  the  little  town  home 
of  the  Leslies,  for  the  stork  had  visited  there  and  left 
a  son.  But  since  his  arrival,  three  days  before,  the 
shades  had  been  down,  and  all  stepped  lightly  that 
they  might  not  disturb  the  little  mother  who  still 
hovered  between  life  and  death.  She  had  fallen  in  a 
quiet  sleep  now,  and  her  watchers  scarcely  moved, 
fearing  they  might  awaken  her  from  the  rest  which 
they  hoped  would  prove  the  turning  point  for  the 
better. 

Charles  Leslie  sat  with  bowed  head  thinking  how 
dreary  life  would  be  without  his  cheerful  little  wife 
who  had  grown  so  very  dear  to  him.  Then  he  thought 
of  the  little  one  that  had  come  to  them.  How  glad 
she  would  be  to  know  it  was  a  son  for  she  had  wished 
for  a  sturdy  little  boy.  Moving  cautiously,  he  went 
into  the  next  room  where  the  tiny  babe  lay  sleeping. 
In  his  great  concern  for  the  mother  he  had  nearly 
forgotten  the  baby.  It  was  the  first  very  small  baby 

"3 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

he  had  ever  seen,  and  as  he  looked,  he  realized  how 
very  much  it  was  in  need  of  his  fatherly  care,  and  pro- 
tection. 

The  baby  opened  its  big  blue  eyes  and  looked  at 
him  so  trustingly  he  half  believed  that  it  knew  him; 
he  had  never  known  that  a  new  baby  could  be  so  in- 
teresting, and  as  he  watched  he  began  to  plan  for  the 
future,  when  he  heard  a  feeble  voice  calling  his  name. 
It  was  his  wife  and  going  quickly  to  her,  he  kissed 
her  and  said : 

"You  must  get  strong  and  well,  little  mother,  for 
we  have  a  fine  boy." 

"I  am  so  happy,  Charles,  but  tell  me,  does  he  look 
like  you?  I  do  so  want  him  to  for  I  want  him  to 
have  your  name." 

"If  you  will  be  very  quiet  and  not  tire  yourself,  I 
will  bring  him  for  you  to  judge." 

He  picked  the  baby  up  gingerly  and  carrying 
it  on  his  upturned  palms,  at  arms'  length,  walked  very 
carefully  back  to  his  wife  and  placed  it  beside  her, 
tenderly.  She  looked  long  and  earnestly,  then 
with  tear-dimmed  eyes,  said: 

"He  is  all  that  I  could  wish." 

With  her  baby  close  to  her,  and  her  husband  hold- 
ing her  hand,  she  was  presently  in  a  peaceful  sleep, 
from  which  she  did  not  awaken  for  many  long  hours, 

114 


CHARLES    LESLIE,    JR. 

and  the  anxious  ones  knew  the  great  danger  was  over. 

*  *  *  * 

Sunshine  had  been  out  giving  Charles  Jr.  a  little 
fresh  air,  for  he  was  now  four  weeks'  old  and  she  told 
Mrs.  Leslie  she  thought  him  quite  old  enough  to  learn 
the  benefit  of  pure  fresh  air.  On  her  return  to  the 
house,  Mr.  Leslie  told  her  they  had  good  news. 

"I  have  just  received  a  letter  from  Jack,  and  the 
doctor  has  finally  consented  to  his  coming  home, — 
he  expects  to  be  here  to-morrow." 

The  train  from  Hot  Springs  would  arrive  about 
eleven,  and  a  close  observer  could  have  seen  that 
Sunshine  had  been  a  little  more  careful  than  usual 
with  her  toilet.  The  customary  shirt-waist  and  dark 
skirt  was  put  aside,  and  a  very  dainty  light-blue  lawn 
with  its  daintier  trimmings  of  white  lace,  was  donned. 
As  the  time  for  the  train  drew  near,  Miss  Golden 
sought  the  (Seclusion  of  her  room,  that  the  telltale 
tremor  of  happy  anticipation  might  not  be  noticed  by 
the  others. 

Charles  Leslie  went  to  the  station  to  meet  Jack,  and 
after  the  usual  greeting,  told  him  a  new  foreman  had 
just  arrived,  and  he  would  be  happy  to  introduce  them, 
when  they  reached  the  house.  Jack  stopped  and  set- 
ting his  traveling  bag  down,  looked  into  the  face  of 
the  Boss : 

"5 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

"I  am  sorry  I  have  not  succeeded  in  pleasing  you, 
and  if  you  are  no  longer  in  need  of  my  services,  I 
will  go  back  to  the  hotel." 

Instead  of  the  disappointed,  grieved  countenance 
Jack  had  expected  to  see,  the  Boss  wore  a  broad  grin, 
and  taking  him  by  the  arm,  said : 

"Come,  don't  decide  so  quickly,  for  I'm  positive  you 
will  change  your  mind  when  you  have  seen  for  your- 
self; besides  I  had  instructions  from  Mrs.  Leslie  and 
Sunshine  to  bring  you  to  the  house." 

That  decided  it;  if  Sunshine  had  wished  it  he 
would  go  but  he  wore  a  very  dejected  air.  On  reach- 
ing the  house  he  was  greeted  in  the  usual  manner  by 
the  ladies,  while  Mr.  Leslie  disappeared.  Returning 
very  soon  with  Charles  Jr.,  he  introduced  him  to  Jack. 
It  was  Jack  who  laughed  heartily,  this  time,  and  taking 
his  hat  off  to  the  new  "foreman,"  acknowledged, 
"that  it  was  one  on  him." 

"Jack,"  said  Mrs.  Leslie,  "don't  you  think  he  locks 
like  his  father?" 

"Well,  ma'am,  he's  got  the  same  kind  o'  eyes,  but 
I  can't  say  I  can  see  much  resemblance  between  that 
baby  an'  a  full  grown  man,"  at  which  Mrs.  Leslie 
laughed,  as  did  the  others. 

The  baby  began  crying  and  Charles  Leslie,  thinking 
the  little  one  had  been  hurt  by  his  awkwardness,  gave 

n6 


CHARLES    LESLIE,    JR. 

him  to  his  mother,  telling  her  to  see  if  fie  was  not  in- 
jured. She  assured  him  he  was  unhurt,  but  very 
sleepy.  Jack  sat  watching  the  devoted  mother  rock- 
ing and  singing,  as  she  held  her  treasure  close  to  her, 
till  he  fell  asleep ;  and  as  she  placed  him  in  his  little 
crib,  he  said,  with  his  eyes  still  on  the  baby : 

"You  get  the  right  kind  o'  lookin*  after,  little  feller ; 
'taint  like  that  poor  little  maverick  got  I  saw  at  the 
Springs."  Then  turning  to  the  others:  "I  used  to 
think  'twas  only  men  who  was  heartless,  but  I  know 
now  there  is  many  women,  too,  but  a  heartless  mother 
beats  'em  all.  It  is  worse  than  the  brute-kind,  for 
they  always  care  for  their  little  ones.  I  was  standing 
on  the  depot  platform  at  the  Springs,  watching  the 
people  hop  off  the  evening  train  from  the  East,  and  of 
those  I  noted,  was  a  high-toned  dude  with  a  cham- 
pagne nose,  a  claw-hammer  coat  and  a  candy  box  hat, 
a  painted,  puffy  blonde  with  dipped,  buckskin  hair,  an 
innocent,  dainty,  young  girl,  and  half  drunk  nurse 
with  a  poor  crying  kid  that  I  took  to  be  about  a 
yearlin'.  I  got  mighty  curious  to  know  who  such  a 
mixed  layout  might  be.  They  did  not  seem  to  know 
just  where  they  wanted  to  go,  so  I  stepped  up  to  the 
dude  to  tell  him  about  the  hotels,  an'  boardin'  places, 
but  (Jack  stopped  and  fairly  shook  with  laughter) 
when  that  little  innocent  beauty  caught  sight  of  me, 

117 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

she  just  screamed  and  put  both  hands  up  to  her  face, 
and  running  to  the  buckskin  blonde,  said : 

"Oh,  Flossy,  it  is  a  cowboy;  please  take  me  some- 
where; I'm  so  afraid  he'll  shoot  us." 

"  'Miss,'  says  I,  'you  and  the  kid  are  the  last  ones 
in  this  here  layout  I  would  ever  pull  a  trigger  on. 
I  was  only  goin'  to  tell  you  where  you  could  find 
proper  accommodations.' 

"  'I  suppose,'  said  the  dude,  with  his  rosebud  nose 
in  the  air,  'your  intentions  were  to  frighten  these 
ladies  for  amusement,  but  I  am  here  to  protect  them 
and  I  shall  call  a  policeman  at  once  if  you  do  not 
cease  your  annoyance.' " 

"What  did  you  say  to  the  cowardly  coyote  ?"  asked 
Mr.  Leslie. 

"I  did  not  answer  him.  I  called  a  cab  and  told  the 
women  folks  to  climb  in,  and  they  did,  the  buckskin 
blonde  telling  the  nurse  to  sit  outside  with  that  little 
kid ;  but  I  changed  that  programme  mighty  quick. 
After  I  had  them  inside,  I  climbed  up  with  the  driver, 
and  told  him  to  go  to  the  Evans,  and  not  be  slow. 
When  he  pulled  up  in  front  of  the  hotel,  I  opened  the 
door  and  asked  them  if  they  were  particular  as  to 
price.  They  told  me  they  were  not,  so  I  told  them  to 
pile  out. 

"'Where  is  the  count?'  asked  the  blonde. 

118 


CHARLES    LESLIE,    JR. 


; 'The  who?' 
"  The  count/ 


"  'If  you  mean  the  stuffed  suit  of  clothes  with  a 
window-glass  over  one  eye,  I  left  it  back  there  at  the 
depot,  and  I  hope  it  falls  in  the  creek  and  waits  for 
me  to  fish  it  out.  But  never  mind  the  "count."  Get 
yourselves  into  the  hotel  so  that  poor  little  kid  can 
get  warm  and  get  something  to  eat.  I  can't  stand  that 
crying.  It's  either  hungry  or  sick.' 

"She  (the  blonde)  grabbed  the  little  feller  and 
began  to  shake  him,  but  I  grabbed  that  old  sister  and 
the  hairpins  flew  in  all  directions.  When  I  got  tired, 
I  took  the  kid  from  the  girl  to  whom  I  had  given  it, 
and  marshaled  the  bunch  into  the  hotel.  I  told  them 
I  would  see  them  next  day  and  went  to  my  room.  I 
thought  they  would  raise  a  fuss  in  the  hotel  but  they 
didn't." 

"Have  you  seen  them  since?"  asked  Sunshine. 

"Yes — two  days  later  I  was  just  returning  from  the 
wind  cave,  which  is  about  twelve  miles  from  the 
Springs,  tired  and  hungry,  and  as  I  started  up  the 
steps  I  heard  someone  calling,  'Mr.  Cowboy!'  and 
looking  up  saw  it  was  my  party  of  two  days  before. 
And  they  were  calling  me.  I  went  to  them  and  saw 
the  'Count'  had  found  them.  They  were  playing 
cards.  A  sort  of  introduction  was  gone  through  with, 

119 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

and  they  asked  me  to  join  them,  but  I  refused  after 
noticing  how  worried  and  disgusted  the  young  girl 
looked.  I  also  noticed  the  Count  and  the  blonde  were 
very  much  under  the  influence  of  liquor,  four  bottles 
of  which  stood  in  an  ice  pail  beside  them,  and  two 
full  glasses  of  wine  before  them.  To  get  her  away 
from  the  disgraceful  pair,  I  asked  the  young  girl  if 
she  would  not  take  me  to  see  the  baby.  She  consented 
and  seemed  very  much  relieved  to  get  away. 

"When  we  were  out  of  hearing  of  the  others,  I  said 
to  the  young  lady,  whose  name  I  found  out  from  the 
blonde,  was  Daisy  Kilbourn,  'Why  are  you  with  such 
people?'  and  she  began  to  cry  and  told  me  she 
had  come  for  the  baby's  sake. 

"  'I  believe  you  are  my  friend  and  I  can  tell  you. 
I  could  not  tell  the  father  she  is  cruel  to  the  baby  and 
this  was  the  only  way  to  help  the  poor  little  fellow.' 

"When  we  came  to  the  room  used  as  a  nursery,  we 
heard  the  baby  crying  pitifully;  we  opened  the  door 
hurriedly,  and  just  in  time  to  see  a  bottle  half  full  of 
sour  milk  flying  in  the  air  and  land  on  the  baby's 
shoulder,  causing  him  to  scream  with  pain.  Daisy 
picked  the  baby  up  and  tried  to  comfort  him  while  I 
settled  the  half  tipsy  nurse.  I  am  satisfied  she  could 
not  be  coaxed  into  marrying  a  cowpuncher  or  coming 
West  again  if  she  is  ever  permitted  to  get  back  East. 

120 


CHARLES    LESLIE,    JR. 

I  took  the  kid  while  Daisy  went  in  search  of  milk  for 
him,  that  didn't  come  by  the  chunk.  She  soon  return- 
ed and  that  poor  little  maverick  acted  like  he  was 
starved.  When  she  gathered  a  few  duds  together,  I 
ordered  a  cab  round  to  the  side  of  the  hotel  and  we 
got  away  with  the  baby,  without  anyone  noticing. 
When  we  left,  I  told  the  nurse  she  must  be  mum  or 
I  would  cause  her  trouble  and  she  played  her  part 
all  O.  K.  I  took  Daisy  and  the  kid  to  a  private  board- 
ing house  where  a  good  motherly  woman  lived,  and 
I  told  her  all  and  she  consented  to  keep  them  dark 
till  the  father  of  the  baby  came.  I  sent  that  father  a 
red-hot  message.  Then  I  went  to  the  proper  author- 
ities and  told  them  everything.  They  are  mostly 
family  men  and  told  me  to  go  on  as  though  nothing 
had  happened  until  the  father  came. 

"The  third  day  the  father  arrived.  Daisy  described 
him  to  me,  and  I  met  him  at  the  train  and  took  him 
at  once  to  Daisy  and  the  baby,  and  we  told  him  how 
his  innocent  boy  had  been  made  to  suffer.  He  cried 
bitterly,  and  after  thanking  us  both,  many  times,  he 
asked  me  to  show  him  to  his  wife.  I  do  not  know 
what  passed  between  them,  but  I  went  to  the  depot 
that  eve  to  bid  Daisy  and  him  and  the  baby  good-bye. 
He  had  secured  a  neat,  smiling  nurse,  and  as  I  said 

121 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

good-bye  to  the  baby's  father  he  said  he  was  through 
with  his  wife  for  all  time." 

"Why  was  Daisy  so  interested  in  the  baby?"  asked 
Sunshine. 

"I  cannot  say,  but  I  rather  guess  she  had  loved  the 
father  before  his  marriage  to  the  blonde  who  looked 
very  much  older  than  he.  I  asked  the  clerk  at  the 
hotel  what  become  of  the  Count  and  the  blonde.  He 
said  they  were  asked  to  leave  the  Evans  and  they 
had  left  town  on  the  Black  Hills  train."  Having  fin- 
ished his  story,  Mr.  Leslie  said: 

"Are  you  able  to  ride  to  the  ranch,  Jack?" 

"Sure." 

"Then  you  can  go  out  to-morrow  and  come  back 
the  next  day  with  the  double  buggy,  and  send 
Brownie,  or  one  of  the  others  with  the  wagon,  and 
we  will  all  go  back." 

A  few  happy  days  with  Miss  Golden,  and  Jack  felt 
he  must  be  in  the  saddle  helping  the  boys  on  the 
round-up. 


122 


CHAPTER  X. 

THE  HANGING  OF  DIAMOND  L.   SLIM. 

The  rain  had  been  falling  pretty  steadily  for  two 
days  and  nights  and  the  boys  were  huddled  under  a 
tarp  stretched  over  a  pole,  tent  fashion,  while  a  bright 
fire  burned  just  outside  to  dry  their  drenched  clothing. 
Everyone  seemed  on  the  mum  order  in  the  rather  close 
quarters  of  the  improvised  tent.  Not  a  man  had  spoken 
a  word  for  nearly  an  hour  when  old  one-eyed  Peter 
broke  into  a  hearty  laugh. 

"These  big  rains,"  said  he,  "make  me  think  of  the 
Spring  '84  when  we  had  one  big  round-up  that  would 
make  this  look  like  a  mighty  small  affair.  We  was 
gathered  at  the  old  toll  bridge  called  Sidney  Bridge, 
about  one  hundred  miles  from  old  Fort  Laramie.  The 
Wyoming  and  Nebraska  round-ups  met  there,  the 
Nebraska  wagons  turning  back  from  this  point,  and 
taking  their  cattle  with  'em  and  sending  reps,  with  the 
Wyoming  outfits.  'Twas  there  the  old  stage  going 
from  Sidney  to  the  Black  Hills,  crossed  the  Platte. 

123 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

An*  many  are  the  bottles  of  cheer  it  has  carried  to  the 
little  sod  saloon  on  the  north  side  of  the  river.  Four 
round-ups  started  from  there  that  Spring — five  hun- 
dred of  us  punchers  and  four  thousand  saddle  horses. 
I  tell  you  fellers,  that  was  the  time  to  see  your  'Wild 
West/  A  man  could  see  all  the  bronch  pitchin'  an' 
buckin'  he  wanted  to. 

"It  had  bin  a  rainin*  like  blazes,  and  I  went  in  the 
sod  saloon  to  dry  out,  and  sittin'  at  a  table  playin' 
a  little  social  game  o'  cards,  was  a  bunch  of  mighty 
good  fellers,  and  when  I  say  good  fellers,  I  don't 
mean  something  out  of  the  trash  pile  like  me.  Some 
of  'em  you  know,  and  if  you  know  'em,  you  know 
'em  for  good  punchers.  There  was  Laughlin,  Cham- 
berlin,  St.  Clare,  Woody,  Snyder  and  Dehart.  Some 
of  them  had  taken  a  little  to  get  rid  of  the  chill, 
and  one  what  wasn't  used  to  it,  got  a  trifle  upset  in 
his  stomach,  and  went  out.  He  was  staying 
some,  so  I  thought  I'd  go  and  see  what  was  wrong. 
He  was  standin'  behind  that  sod  shanty  with  his  fin- 
gers jabbed  deep  into  that  wet  mud,  an'  the  longer  he 
stood,  the  weaker  his  knees  got,  till  they  finally  failed 
him  and  he  was  down  on  all  fours,  both  hands  gripped 
full  of  that  'ere  sod  an'  eight  deep  trenches  his  fingers 
made  as  he  went  down.  I  laughed  till  I  got  tired, 
then  I  asked  him  what  was  the  matter.  When  he  got 


THE  HANGING   OF  DIAMOND  L.  SLIM 

it  all  up  he  looked  at  me  like  a  dying  calf  an'  says : 
'Pete,  you  old  Sweede,  'taint  'cause  I  don't  like  it — it's 
'cause  I  can't  keep  the  dam'd  stuff.'  We  certainly  had 
excitin'  times  that  Spring." 

"Pete,  you  are  sure  a  straight-faced  liar  for  a 
Swede;  you  must  think  we  are  all  tenderfeet  giving 
us  such  gaff,"  spoke  up  Jack. 

"Jack,  that  there  is  straight  goods." 

"Some  of  the  outfits  were  the  Goose  Egg,  Hawk 
Eye,  Ty,  Four  J,  Four  P,  XH,  W.  H.  Bar,  J.  M.,  P.P., 
Seven  Up,  Seven  U,  Heart,  Thirty-three  Bar,  Flying 
O,  Seventy-seven,  V  Five  Bar,  L.  Z.,  Node,  C.  R., 
T-7,  Three  Nine,  Nine  H  Six,  J.  A.,  O  Four,  Half  Dia- 
mond E,  O.  S.  O.,  Keystone,  Duck  Bar,  S.  O.  S., 
Diamond  A,  H.  R.,  T.  H.,  Bridle  Bit,  O  Bar  O,  Half 
Circle  Block,  Italic  H,  Umbrella,  and  Trowel.  These 
are  all  I  can  remember  Jack,  but  if  you  send  to  Chey- 
enne and  get  the  state  paper  that  gives  the  working 
of  the  round-ups  for  '84  in  it,  you  will  find  the  rest." 

"She's  all  ready,"  howled  the  cook,  interrupting  at 
this  period,  and  they  were  soon  busy  satisfying  the 
inner  man  at  supper. 

The  first  clear  morning  after  two  days  and  nights  of 
steady  downpour,  found  the  boys  up  early,  for  they 
knew  the  creeks  would  be  high,  consequently  they 
would  encounter  great  difficulty  in  getting  the  stock 

125 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

across.  The  drivers  were  well  used  to  handling  the 
reins  of  a  four  horse  team,  but  it  took  much  per- 
suasion, loud  oaths  and  vigorous  use  of  a  long  raw- 
hide to  cheer  the  horses  in  the  task  of  landing  the 
wagons  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  first  creek  which 
the  rain  had  transformed  into  a  roaring  torrent. 

Me  lord  the  "horse  jingler"  had  little  trouble  in  get- 
ting the  saddle  horses  over;  a  few  of  the  older,  ex- 
perienced ones,  taking  the  lead,  the  others  soon  fol- 
lowed. But  no  such  good  luck  with  the  cattle.  After 
three  hours  steady  millin'  the  boys  cut  off  a  few  and 
literally  crowded  them  over  the  bank  into  the  water ; 
the  rest  seeing  them  in  the  stream  followed  and  the 
water  was  soon  filled  with  swimming  cattle.  Me  lord 
seeing  the  trouble  the  boys  were  having,  put  his  horses 
on  good  feed  and  went  back  to  help  them,  but  now  as 
the  boys  started  across,  he  hung  back,  for  Tom  Horn 
was  riding  Dam'd — if — I — do,  and  he  remembered 
what  they  had  said  about  him  the  day  he  was  initiated 
into  the  outfit.  Tom  had  scarcely  gotten  into  the 
water  when  Dam'd — if — I — do  reared  up  and  pawing 
the  air,  fell  backward  into  the  seething,  foaming 
stream. 

Like  a  flash  Me  lord  threw  off  his  coat,  and  plunged 
in  to  the  aid  of  the  man  who  had  befriended  him  on 
his  first  memorable  night  in  the  Twenty-one  Camp. 

126 


THE   HANGING   OF   DIAMOND   L.   SLIM 

When  the  others  realized  what  had  happened,  coats 
were  pealed  off,  but  just  then  two  heads  came  to  the 
surface  some  distance  down  stream.  All  rushed  in 
that  direction  and  when  next  they  came  to  the  surface, 
it  was  close  to  the  bank  and  they  were  quickly  hauled 
in  by  friendly  hands.  Tom's  right  foot  had  caught  in 
the  stirrup,  and  had  it  not  been  for  Me  lord's  timely 
aid,  he  would  have  drowned.  Fortunately  he  escaped 
with  a  badly  wrenched  ankle  and  a  "big"  fill  of  muddy 
water.  Me  lord  came  out  of  the  fracas  with  a  slight 
scalp  wound,  and  the  loss  of  his  hat,  which  he  forgot 
to  remove  before  going  into  the  water. 

Dam'd — if — I — do  managed  to  struggle  out  of  the 
swift  current,  and  now  stood  on  the  bank  looking 
rather  dejected,  but  conqueror  of  the  man  who  would 
dare  to  force  him  through  a  stream,  and  had  once  more 
reasserted  the  right  to  his  title. 

The  boys  had  scarcely  got  into  camp  on  Big  Light- 
ning that  night  when  a  man  rode  in  who  was  greeted 
friendly  by  nearly  everyone. 

"How  far  have  you  come  to-day,  Sox?"  asked  one 
of  the  boys  noticing  his  horse  was  about  all  in. 

"I  came  from  the  Stone  pens  on  Lodge  Pole,  and 
I  came  in  a  hurry.  I  wanted  to  ask  you  fellers,  if 
you'd  like  to  be  in  on  dealin'  a  little  justice  to  a  feller 
what  ought  to  been  in  hell  six  months  ago  and  saved 

127 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

the  lives  of  two  mighty  fine  young  folks  what  he  has 
brutally  butchered  on  his  place,  the  Diamond  L  ranch, 
to  get  out  of  payin'  some  money  back,  he  spent  of 
theirs." 

Some  were  about  to  speak  when  Jack  stepped  to  the 
front  saying : 

"Boys,  don't  commit  yourselves,  but  when  it  comes 
dark  we  will  make  the  cavey  out  a  little  farther  and 
anyone  what  wants  to  go  can  catch  him  a  horse  and 
leave  when  he  sees  fit ;  but  first  think  well  what  you're 
about  to  do ;  remember  it'll  be  taking  a  human  life.  If 
you  should  be  called  to  face  a  judge  and  jury  for  the 
puttin'  out  o'  this  feller's  light,  will  you  be  able  to 
stand  there  like  men  or  slink  away  like  sneakin' 
coyotes  and  deny  you  helped  to  deal  justice  to  this 
dam'd  cur  who  would  raise  a  gun  on  a  defenseless 
tenderfoot  sayin'  nothin'  of  a  innocent,  gentle,  kindly, 
woman,"  and  he  turned  and  walked  toward  the  cavey. 

On  the  creek  called  Lodge  Pole  are  some  stone  pens 
which  are  about  forty  miles  Southwest  of  Newcastle. 
Three  of  the  big  outfits  were  now  working  the  country 
in  the  vicinity  of  the  pens.  The  Fiddle-back,  the  T-/ 
and  the  D. 

Many  a  cold,  hungry  cowpuncher  had  been  warmed 
and  fed  by  the  hospitality  of  the  friendly  young  couple 
who  lay  cold  in  death  wrought  by  the  hand  of  the 

128 


THE   HANGING   OF   DIAMOND   L.   SLIM 

man  called  Diamond  L.  Slim,  at  present  awaiting 
trial  at  the  Newcastle  jail.  A  strict  guard  had  been 
kept  over  the  doomed  fiend  for  Sheriff  Miller  feared 
when  the  boys  got  together  on  the  round-ups,  they 
could  not  await  the  slowness  of  the  law  to  avenge  the 
murder  of  the  two  who  had  befriended  so  many  of 
them.  Well  did  he  know  that  Slim  deserved  the  treat- 
ment he  would  receive  from  the  cowpunchers  could 
they  but  get  their  hands  on  him. 

The  night  following  Sox's  arrival  at  the  camp  on  Big 
Lightning,  Newcastle  awoke  to  the  fact  that  inside 
their  little  city  all  was  not  quiet  and  peaceful  as  usual. 
Many  of  the  citizens  looking  from  their  windows  or 
doors  found  everything  in  total  darkness  and  any  who 
stepped  out  to  investigate,  was  ordered  quietly  but 
sternly  to  go  in  again,  which  he  invariably  did.  Re- 
course to  the  telephone  or  an  attempt  to  turn  on 
electric  lights  disclosed  the  fact  that  both  were  tem- 
porarily out  of  commission.  The  door  of  the  sheriff's 
home  had  been  battered  down  when  he  refused  to  give 
up  his  keys  to  the  jail.  The  keys  were  finally  secured, 
and  the  sheriff  taken  out  on  a  hill  and  guarded  until 
that  which  the  men  had  come  for,  had  been  accomp- 
lished. 

Next  morning's  evidence  of  the  midnight  visitors 
was  a  long  battering  ram,  a  demoralized  jail  door,  an 

129 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

empty  cell  and  many  tracks  leading  to  a  railroad 
bridge  at  the  edge  of  town  on  the  west  side,  where  a 
piece  of  rope  dangled  from  the  two  by  six  that  formed 
the  top  of  the  railing  over  the  body  and  severed  head 
of  Diamond  L.  Slim  which  lay  on  the  bank  of  the 
stream  some  thirty  feet  below.  No  clues  were  ever 
found  except  the  tracks  of  many  feet  in  the  vicinity 
of  the  jail  and  bridge. 


130 


CHAPTER  XI. 

THE  MYSTERIOUS  BRAND. 

How  fresh  the  air  seemed  to  Jack  Randolph,  as  he 
galloped,  mile  after  mile  through  the  pasture  after 
the  saddle  horses.  How  green  the  cotton  woods 
looked  along  the  creek,  and  how  fresh  the  pines  on 
the  hills  smelled! 

Nature  seemed  very  cheerful  to  the  cowboy  since 
his  return  to  the  ranch,  having  been  confined  between 
the  four  walls  of  a  building  for  so  many  weeks.  After 
hunting  for  hours,  he  found  a  break  in  the  fence  where 
the  horses  had  gone  out,  and  followed  their  tracks 
up  into  the  hills.  Going  a  short  distance,  the  tracks 
scattered  out.  When  he  was  nearly  through  the  tim- 
ber on  the  Old  Woman  Creek  side,  chancing  to  look 
over  the  bank  into  the  head  of  a  washout,  he  thought 
he  saw  smoke,  and  dismounting,  crawled  down  the 
steep  bank  to  investigate.  What  lie  found,  was  the 
smouldering  embers  of  a  recent  fire,  beside  which  lay 
a  small  iron  ring,  and  two  small  sticks  with  charred 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

ends.  He  had  always  lived  in  the  cow  country  and 
knew  well  what  he  had  just  seen  meant  that  someone 
had  been  branding  early  that  morning,  but  he  could 
not  imagine  who  that  someone  could  be.  It  was  on 
the  JA6  range  but  none  of  the  boys  were  out  early 
that  morning,  and  everything  that  close,  was  always 
taken  into  the  ranch  and  branded  in  the  corral.  Then 
again  it  was  too  far  away  from  any  of  the  neighboring 
ranches  to  be  possible  that  anyone  from  one  of  them 
would  be  there  branding  so  early  in  the  morning. 

Jack  placed  the  ring  and  sticks  as  he  had  found 
them  and  climbing  the  bank,  rode  away  to  find  the 
saddle  horses.  When  he  did  find  them  they  were  in 
three  separate  bunches, — something  quite  unusual.  He 
also  found  many  had  wire  cuts  as  though  they  had 
been  forced  through  the  fence. 

"You  are  two  horses  short,"  said  Peddy,  as  Jack 
drove  them  into  the  corral.  "Monte  and  Nigger 
should  be  in  this  bunch, — they  were  with  them  yester- 
day, down  in  the  southeast  corner  of.  the  pasture." 
After  Jack  told  him  where  he  had  found  them,  and 
those  that  were  cut  were  examined,  they  agreed  that 
they  had  been  crowded  through  the  fence  by  someone 
who  had  take,n  out  the  two  horses  that  were  missing. 
Jack  said  nothing  of  what  he  had  found  in  the  hills, 
but  resolved  to  keep  a  close  watch. 

133 


THE   MYSTERIOUS   BRAND 

"You  are  pretty  good  at  remembering  brands.  Who 
owns  the  MX  brand,  Jack?"  asked  Harry. 

"MX  connected?" 

"Yes — I  never  saw  it  till  last  Spring." 

"I  saw  two  small  bunches  of  young  stock  carrying 
that  brand  last  Spring  and  I  bet  I  have  asked  twenty 
fellers  where  it  belonged,  and  no  one  ever  seemed  to 
know,  except  Gambler  Jim,  who  told  me  he  seen  that 
brand  tuther  side  o'  Caspar.  Why,  where  did  you  see 
it,  Harry?" 

"Saw  fifteen  head,  young  stuff,  other  side  of 
Lightning." 

The  two  were  sitting  behind  the  shed,  cow-puncher 
style,  using  their  heels  as  stools,  trying  to  figure  out 
who  could  be  the  owner  of  the  cattle  branded  MX  and 
scattered  over  such  a  large  scope  of  country. 

"Who  is  that  coming  in  from  the  north?"  the  fore- 
man finally  asked. 

"It  is  Miss  Golden ;  she  left  early  this  morning  for 
Mr.  Sheldon's  and  I  suppose  she  is  just  getting  back. 
She  must  be  in  an  unusual  hurry  or  something  has 
happened  to  frighten  or  annoy  her." 

When  she  stopped,  Jack  was  beside  her. 

"What  has  troubled  you,  Miss  Golden  ?"  he  inquired 
as  she  dismounted. 

"Who  on  this  ranch  is  brute  enough  to  fasten  calves 

133 


THE    FOREMAN    OF.    THE    JA6 

in  a  pen  where  they  can  get  neither  drink  nor  food, 
and  leave  them  until  they  look  as  though  they  were 
starved?" 

"Why  do  you  think  someone  here  is  guilty,  Miss 
Golden?" 

"Because  a  JA6  cow  stood  outside  the  poles  they 
had  put  up  for  a  fence,  bawling  pitifully." 
.     "Where  are  the  calves?"  he  asked. 

"I  found  a  young  antelope  and  was  trying  to  rope 
it ;  I  wanted  it  for  a  pet,  and  it  ran  up  a  gulch,  and  I 
followed  thinking  I  could  run  it  in  some  little  side 
pocket  and  have  a  better  chance  to  rope  it,  when  sud- 
denly we  came  to  the  end  of  the  gulch,  where  a  pole 
fence  had  been  quickly  built  to  keep  the  poor  starving 
calves  in." 

"Harry,  please  saddle  my  horse  and  yours,  if  you 
care  to  go,"  said  Jack.  "Miss  Golden  can  you  tell  me 
where  that  gulch  is  ?" 

"It  is  extremely  rough  country.  You  cross  the 
prairie-dog  flat,  and  then  Spring  draw.  Just  after 
you  cross  it  to  the  west  about  half  mile1,  there  is  a 
lone  tree  at  the  top  of  gulch  or  draw;  follow  the 
draw  to  its  head  and  you  will  find  the  calves,  but  you'll 
hear  them  long  before  you  get  to  them." 

Harry  now  led  the  two  horses  out  of  the  barn,  and 
after  Jack  told  Sunshine  not  to  say  anything  of  what 

134 


THE    MYSTERIOUS   BRAND 

she  had  seen  till  they  came  back,  and  that  he  would 
then  explain  to  her  and  the  Leslies  if  he  though  best 
they  should  know,  they  rode  away,  not  to  return  till 
the  small  hours  of  morning.  Finding  the  draw  de- 
scribed by  Sunshine,  and  riding  some  distance  toward 
the  head,  Jack  asked  Harry  if  he  had  his  gun. 

"Yes,  why  do  you  ask  ?  We  should  have  heard  those 
calves  before  this." 

He  had  time  to  say  no  more,  for  they  had  turned 
a  bend  in  the  draw  and  the  improvised  pen  was  be- 
fore them,  but  the  calves  were  gone.  Jack  got  off  his 
horse  and  examined  the  ground  in  and  around  the 
pen.  "The  calves  were  put  in  and  taken  out  again  by 
two  men,  one  small  the  other  large  for  there  are  two 
foot  prints  in  here.  The  small  man  toes  in  badly." 

At  the  last  remark  Harry  gave  a  whistle  but  said 
nothing.  They  rode  into  a  little  side-draw  and  there 
found  the  JA6  cow,  Sunshine  had  seen,  with  a  bullet 
hole  in  her  head.  They  found  where  the  calves  had 
been  driven  out  of  the  draw,  and  followed  the  trail  till 
they  could  no  longer  find  tracks,  and  then  made  a 
circle  north  and  west,  with  the  hope  of  getting  close 
enough  to  the  calves  to  hear  them  bawl,  and  thus  get 
a  clue  to  the  direction  in  which  they  were  being  taken ; 
their  ride  availed  them  nothing,  for  they  heard 
naught  but  the  occasional  "hoot,  whoot,"  of  an  owl, 

135 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

and  went  back  to  the  ranch  to  watch  for  the  men  whose 
boots  would  measure  in  length  and  width  the  space 
between  the  marks  on  Jack's  bridle-reins  taken  from 
the  foot  prints  in  the  soft  sand  of  the  calf  pen. 

Harry's  camp-bed  had  been  left  outside  and  when 
they  reached  the  ranch  they  retired  in  the  fresh  air 
and  fell  asleep  gazing  at  the  stars  on  the  ceiling  of 
their  spacious  bed-chamber.  When  morning  came  no 
one  questioned  them,  for  none  but  Sunshine  knew 
they  had  gone  and  even  she  did  not  guess  they  had 
been  out  nearly  all  night  following  what  they  were 
now  obliged  to  acknowledge,  must  have  been 
"rustlers." 

After  they  talked  the  circumstances  over,  they  de- 
cided to  say  nothing  until  they  found  more  positive 
evidence.  All  the  boys  except  Zang  and  Tom  O'Day 
were  home  from  the  round-ups  and  they  were  expect- 
ed in,  any  time.  They  were  eating  breakfast  when 
Brownie,  who  sat  opposite  the  window,  jumped  up  and 
ran  to  the  door,  and  after  looking  eastward  a  few 
minutes,  exclaimed: 

"Well,  I'll  be  dam'd ;  if  Monte  and  Nigger  ain't  out 
by  the  corral  and  they're  plum  all  in." 

"Where  did  they  come  from?"  asked  Peddy. 

"They  come  right  down  the  west  fence." 

"Somebody's    been    ridin'    them    horses,"     said 

136 


THE    MYSTERIOUS   BRAND 

Brownie ;  "they  better  steer  shy  of  the  Boss  when  they 
use  his  best  horses  like  that^  or  he  might  change  their 
notion  about  wanting  to  ride  'em  any  more." 

Breakfast  over,  the  boys  filed  out  to  examine  the 
two  horses  that  had  been  missing  from  the  pasture. 
Their  appearances  showed  plainly  that  some  brute  or 
brutes  had  ridden  them. 

The  horses  were  taken  to  water  and  seemed  as  much 
in  need  of  it  as  they  were  of  food  and  rest.  Zang  and 
Tom  O'Day  got  into  the  ranch  about  noon  from  the 
Pool  round-up  and  Tuberculer  found  the  bunk-house 
a  poor  place  for  a  tenderfoot  when  that  noisy  "bunch" 
of  punchers  gathered  in  there  after  supper  for  the 
news  from  the  several  round-ups. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

TUBERCULER  THE  TENDERFOOT, 

"Sammy,"  said  Zang,  "when  did  you  get  admitted 
to  the  bar?" 

"What  bar?" 

"Why  I  heard  over  on  the  Pool  round-up,  you  de- 
fended a  tenderfoot  in  Kangaroo  Court;  how  about 
it?" 

"We  initiated  that  fellow  proper,  for  pulling  leather, 
and  he  has  turned  out  to  be  the  best  bear  paw'd,  ele-> 
phant-footed  bronch  buster  in  the  outfit,"  he  answered, 
while  the  boys  were  gathered  around  a  table,  playing 
cards. 

When  Sammy  was  describing  the  hanging  of  Me 
lord,  some  one  gave  a  groan.  Everyone  turned  in  the 
direction  the  groan  had  come  from.  Tuberculer  sat 
on  the  edge  of  his  bunk  shaking  like  an  aspen-leaf. 
Brownie  kicked  Buck  Saffell  under  the  table  and  after 
receiving  an  acknowleding  wink  from  that  fun-loving 

138 


TUBERCULER  THE  TENDERFOOT 

individual,  he  asked  the  boys  if  they  had  heard  of  the 
crazy  sheepherder  that  had  been  seen  on  Lance  Creek. 

"I  heard  a  feller  tell  about  seeing  him,  and  said  he 
was  carrying  a  rifle,"  said  Buck,  who  now  passed  the 
kick  to  Hill. 

"I  heard  say  his  eyes  stick  out,  and  he  slobbers  like 
a  mad  dog,"  added  Hill. 

"How  far  was  he  from  here  ?"  asked  the  now  thor- 

. 

oughly  frightened  Tuberculer. 

"About  two  miles,"  spoke  up  Buck. 

Just  then  a  large  white  face  with  big  staring  eyes 
looked  in  at  the  window,  and  after  one  horrified  glance, 
Tuberculer  dodged  under  his  bunk.  The  mischievous 
wink  was  passed  around  and  every  one  pretended  to 
be  frightened.  All  dodged  out  of  sight  of  the  window 
and  in  whispered  tones,  asked  one  another  what  was 
best  to  do. 

"Let's  take  our  guns  and  chase  him  away,"  suggest- 
ed Brownie,  "for  if  those  eyes  tell  anything,  he  must 
have  a  fearful  disposition." 

"I  have  a  scheme,"  said  Sammy ;  "suppose  two  of  us 
take  a  blanket  and  throw  it  over  us ;  then  if  we  stoop 
over  a  little,  we  will  look  like  a  cow,  and  we  can  go 
out  and  hunt  around  and  see  if  it  really  is  that  crazy 
fellow.  And  if  it  is,  we  can  come  beck  and  tell  you ; 
then  you  can  go  out  and  shoot  him.  You  might  leave 

139 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

one  feller  here  so  if  he  should  try  to  come  in,  the 
feller  in  here  can  kill  him.  Put  the  light  out  you  fools ; 
he  might  be  prowling  around  here  this  minute.  Who 
"will  go  with  me  under  this  comfort?  It  wants  to  be 
someone  what  haint  got  a  gun  'cause  every  feller  what 
has  any  fire-arms  wants  to  be  where  he  can  use  'em." 

"I'll  go  with  you,"  said  Tuberculer,  crawling  out 
from  his  hiding  place. 

"All  right !  I'll  get  under  the  front  and  watch,  and 
you  get  under  the  back.  Are  you  ready,  kid?"  sang 
out  Sammy. 

"Y-e-s,  I  guess  I  am." 

"Open  the  door  then,  boys.  Now  if  we  find 
him  we  will  come  up  here  and  bellow  like  a  cow,  and 
you  fellows  can  come  out  and  be  sure  to  have  your 
guns  ready  to  shoot." 

Down  over  the  creek  bank  went  Sammy,  with 
Tuberculer  stumbling  and  falling  behind.  When  they 
came  to  a  place  where  a  draw  ran  into  the  creek  from 
the  north,  someone  shot.  Tuberculer  jumped  the 
length  of  the  comfort  and  dropping  it,  grabbed  Sammy 
from  behind,  wound  both  arms  around  his  neck  and 
with  chattering  teeth  and  trembling  voice,  whined : 

"Oh  Sammy !  They  won't  know  where  to  find  us, 
and  he  is  shooting  at  us !" 

"Don't  you  get  so  scared ;  I  know  what  we  can  do ; 

140 


TUBERCULER  THE  TENDERFOOT 

you  sit  down  on  the  ground  and  I'll  put  the  comfort 
over  you  and  he  will  think  you  are  a  big  rock  or  bush ; 
I'll  run  to  the  bunk-house  and  get  the  boys." 

"Do  you  really  think  he  won't  know  it's  me?" 

"Of  course  he  won't." 

"Then  please  hurry,  Sammy." 

"It'll  take  a  little  time,  kid,  'cause  I'll  have  to  crawl 
and  sneak  up  around  the  corrals  and  barn,  but  don't 
you  be  so  dam'd  scared,  kid ;  you  can't  die  but  on'ct." 

"Do  you  think  I  might  get  killed  now  ?"  . 

"Aw  a  feller  can't  allus  tell  about  that.  Cowards 
mostly  get  killed  first,"  and  with  the  last  consoling 
sentence  he  started  for  the  bunk  house  to  join  the  beys 
in  their  high  glee. 

"Where's  the  kid  ?"  were  the  words  that  greeted  him 
when  he  entered. 

"Down  in  the  draw  behind  the  barn  waiting  for  you 
fellers  to  come  and  save  him,.  I  wrapped  him  up  good 
in  the  comfort  so  the  crazy  sheepherder  would  think  it 
was  a  big  rock  or  bush.  Who  done  the  shooting  down 
there— Buck?" 

"Yes,  and  I  bet  a  ten  you'll  hear  some  more  of  it 
soon." 

"He'll  scare  that  kid  out  o'  that  comfort,"  said  Hill. 

He  had  scarcely  gotten  through  speaking  when  two 
shots  rang  out  in  quick  succession. 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

"Come  on,  fellers,  let's  go  and  rescue  him  from  that 
terrible  crazy  man !"  and  with  a  smothered  laugh,  they 
filed  out  to  risk  their  lives  for  the  tenderfoot. 

The  second  shot  brought  Tuberculer  from  under  the 
comfort,  and  with  a  scream  of  fright,  at  seeing  his 
assailant  within  ten  feet  of  him,  he  ran  as  he  never  had 
run  before.  When  he  got  to  the  top  of  the  bank  the 
boys  came  running  to  him,  and  grabbing  him  on  all 
sides  ran  with  him  to  the  bunk  house,  while  several 
shots  were  fired  at  the  supposed  herder.  When  they 
got  into  the  bunk  house  they  braced  themselves  against 
the  door  and  the  bad  man  outside  hammered  there 
with  his  gun. 

After  everything  was  still  and  the  herder  had,  sup- 
posedly, gone  back  to  camp,  Tuberculer  crawled  out 
from  under  the  bed  and  was  telling  how  terribly  close 
the  shots  had  been  to  him,  when  suddenly  a  face  ap- 
peared at  the  window.  Before  anyone  could  stop  him, 
Tuberculer  grabbed  a  boot- jack  and  threw  it  through 
the  window,  then  jumped  back  to  his  hiding-place 
under  the  bed  like  a  scared  jack-rabbit  bouncing  into 
his  hole. 

"I  tell  you  what  we  will  do,"  said  Brownie.  "See- 
ing that  herder  has  such  a  'murderous  disposition' 
we'll  all  go  out,  and  run  him  in  here  with  our  guns, 

142 


TUBERCULER  THE  f  TENDERFOOT 

till  morning,  and  we'll  sleep  in  our  round-up  beds 
outside." 

This  brought  the  kid  out  from  under  that  bed,  in 
a  hurry. 

"The  kid  here  has  no  gun,  so  you  and  I,  Sammy, 
will  go  out  with  him  to  the  farthest  bed  and  put  him 
in  before  the  herder  comes  back,  and  when  he  does 
come  we'll  fasten  him  in  here  till  morning." 

After  they  saw  the  kid  in  bed  they  pretended  to 
have  a  terrible  time  putting  Buck,  the  supposed  herder, 
into  the  bunk  house. 

"What's  your  game,  now  ?"  asked  Zang. 

"I  know  where  there's  a  dead  rattle-snake,"  said 
Brownie,  "and  I'm  going  to  put  it  on  his  pillow  just 
before  time  for  him  to  wake  up.  I'll  bet  he  gets  up 
the  quickest  this  morning,  even  if  he  never  has  be- 
fore." 

When  daylight  was  just  breaking  through  the  clouds 
in  the  far  east,  Brownie  went  tiptoeing  around  to  wake 
all  the  boys  but  Tuberculer,  so  they  could  see  the  fun. 
He  got  the  dead  snake  and  very  quietly  coiled  it  on 
the  bed  close  to  Tuberculer's  face.  Then  with  two 
matches  sharpened  to  a  point,  he  stuck  them  into  the 
skin  under  the  snake's  head,  to  hold  him  up  so  he 
would  be  looking  into  the  kid's  face.  The  kid's  hand 
was  close  to  where  he  coiled  the  snake,  and  to  wake 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

him  he  pricked  him  with  a  thorn  of  a  cactus  which 
leaves  a  sting  like  that  of  a  bee. 

With  a  terrific  yell  he  jumped  from  bed  and  started 
for  the  house  screaming,  "I'm  killed — I'm  stung  by 
a  rattler!" 

Before  reaching  there,  however,  he  was  held  tightly 
and  hurried  to  the  creek  where  the  boys  threw  water 
on  him  and  spit  tobacco  juice  on  the  sting  to  kill  the 
poison;  one  tore  his  handkerchief  and  bandged  the 
wound.  He  was  warned  not  to  say  anything  to  the 
ladies,  of  his  unlucky  night,  as  they  would  be  so 
frightened.  So  with  the  look  of  a  martyr,  he  went 
in  to  breakfast. 

"What  in  the  world  was  all  the  shooting  for,  last 
night?"  asked  Miss  Golden  as  she  sat  on  the  corral 
fence  watching  the  boys  taming  a  few  snorty  bronchs. 

"We  was  shootin'  for  the  benefit  of  a  'cowardly 
coyote'  what's  been  hanging  around,"  said  Sammy  as 
he  threw  his  rope  at  a  bronch,  and  his  glances  at  the 
kid  who  was  looking  between  the  poles  of  the  corral 
at  the  performances  within. 

"What  you  got  there?"  Hill  asked  Brownie. 

"A  sinker,"  Brownie  replied,  as  he  came  out  in 
front  of  the  corral  with  his  lariat  coiled  in  one  end  of 
which  was  a  loop,  and  on  the  other,  a  good-sized  bis- 
cuit was  fastened. 

1144 


TUBERCULER  THE  TENDERFOOT 

"What  you  going  to  do  with  that  ?"  asked  Sunshine. 

"I'm  going  to  put  this  rope  round  the  cook's  neck 
and  throw  him  in  the  creek." 

And  amid  shouts  of  hearty  laughter  he  disappeared 
through  the  kitchen  door,  from  which  he  shortly 
emerged  with  his  face  nicely  powdered  with  flour. 

"Fellers  and  ladies,"  he  said,  as  he  climbed  on  the 
corral  fence,  "gaze  at  me;  I  just  came  from  the  field 
of  'flowery  experience.'  I  tell  you,  that  cook  has  a 
mighty  'savage  disposition.' " 

"Kid,"  said  Mr.  Leslie,  "you  go  after  the  mail.  Be 
sure  and  not  lose  any  of  it,  as  I  am  expecting  some 
important  letters." 

"All  right,  sir ;  what  horse  shall  I  ride  ?" 

"Mrs.  Leslie's  pony,  Billy.  You  need  not  ride  him 
fast,  as  you  will  have  plenty  of  time,  and  he  is  gentle ; 
there  will  be  no  danger  of  your  getting  hurt." 

Billy  bridled  and  saddled,  Tuberculer  started  on  an 
easy  gait  for  the  mail.  Mr.  Leslie's  letters  he  placed 
in  his  inside  coat  pocket  to  make  them  very  safe,  and 
putting  the  rest  in  a  small  bag,  tied  it  to  the  saddle  and 
started  back  for  the  ranch  whistling  a  lively  air.  About 
half  way  between  the  mail  box  and  the  ranch  was  a 
very  deep  gulch  that  Tuberculer  was  obliged  to  cross, 
and  as  he  neared  it  he  ceased  whistling  for  the  thought 
of  the  crazy  sheepherder  came  to  him. 

145 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

"Suppose,"  thought  Tuberculer,  "he  would  be  hid  in 
that  gulch  and  draw  a  gun  on  me  and  try  and  make 
me  give  him  the  mail  ?  I  will  not  do  it  for  the  Mrs. 
and  Miss  Golden  as  well  as  the  others  would  have  to 
know  about  that.  I'm  mighty  glad  to  get  through 
that  gulch,"  he  confided  to  Billy  as  he  climbed  up  the 
bank  onto  the  open  prairie. 

"Stop!"  sang  a  voice  from  behind  him,  while  a  shot 
rang  out. 

"Oh,  those  letters!"  thought  the  kid.  "We  can't 
stop— we  must,  must  go,"  vigorously  applying  heels 
and  quirt,  but  the  man  behind  was  fast  gaining  on 
him,  and  the  shots  sounded  very  close.  "I  know  what 
I  will  do;  I  will  drop  the  bag  and  keep  the  letters  in 
my  pocket." 

While  his  trusty  horse  sped  onward,  he  unfastened 
the  bag  and  dropped  it  to  the  ground.  When  he 
reached  the  ranch  and  Mr.  Leslie  saw  the  condition  of 
his  horse,  he  was  very  angry,  until  Tuberculer  told 
him  of  his  awful  experience,  when  he  smiled  and  said, 
"I  am  glad  you  are  improving,  and  I  think  we  will  find 
the  other  mail  later." 

About  half  an  hour  later  Zang  rode  into  the  ranch, 
his  horse  dripping  with  sweat  and  "all-in"  carrying 
the  stolen  mail  bag. 

"Where  did  you  get  it?"  asked  the  kid. 

146 


TUBERCULER  THE  TENDERFOOT 

"From  the  crazy  sheepherder,"  said  Zang.  "I  run 
him  down  and  took  it  from  him." 

"A  likely  story,"  said  the  kid,  who  seemed  very 
cross  and  excited  about  something. 

"Have  your  fun,  Zang,  but  remember,  the  time  for 
my  fun  is  coming."  Then  while  Zang  laughed 
heartily,  he  went  into  the  house  a  determined  look  on 
his  usually  good  natured  face.  With  the  next  order 
from  town,  a  brand  new  six-gun  and  ten  boxes  of 
shells  were  brought  for  the  "tenderfoot." 

No  one  ever  saw,  or  heard  him  shoot,  but  when  he 
was  sent  any  distance  from  the  house  a  box  of  shells 
would  be  missing  from  the  pile  until  nine  had  gone 
from  the  corral  where  but  a  short  time  ago  ten  had 
been  placed. 

One  night  a  heavy  shower  drove  the  boys  into  the 
bunk  house,  and  they  sat  around  telling  thrilling 
stories  for  the  benefit  of  the  tenderfoot.  When  it  came 
to  Zang's  turn,  he  told  of  how  he  had  to  wrestle  with 
the  crazy  sheepherder,  to  get  possession  of  the  mail- 
bag.  After  he  had  completed  his  story  and  turned  to 
see  the  effect  it  had  produced  on  Tuberculer,  he  rolled 
a  cigarette.  He  had  lighted  it  arid  was  preparing  to 
enjoy  it,  when  the  tenderfoot  got  up  quietly,  placed 
his  back  against  the  door  and  in  calm  even  tones  said : 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

"Zang,  take  that  cigarette  out  of  your  mouth  and 
acknowledge:  you  are  a  liar." 

Everyone  looked  in  wonder  at  the  quiet,  determined 
face  of  the  tenderfoot. 

"Don't  get  so  brave  you  'young  pup',"  snorted  the 
angry  Zang. 

Tuberculer's  eyes  grew  a  little  brighter,  as  his 
mouth  drew  a  little  tighter,  but  he  quietly  told  Zang 
once  more  to  take  the  cigarette  from  his  mouth  and 
do  as  he  had  told  him,  or  he  would  be  obliged  to  re- 
move it  for  him. 

"Try  it,  you  dam'd  little  coward,  and  I  will  show 
you  where  you  belong." 

Like  a  flash  the  new  gun  came  into  sight,  a  shot 
rang  out,  and  the  cigarette  left  Zang's  mouth.  Every- 
one jumped  to  his  feet. 

"Boys,"  said  Tuberculer,  "clear  the  middle  of  the 
floor." 

Without  a  word  they  obeyed,  while  Tuberculer  kept 
the  gun  pointed  at  Zang,  his  tormenter.  When  the 
floor  was  cleared,  he  told  the  latter  to  get  up  and  dance 
for  the  boys.  Zang  did  not  move  but  said,  "What 
right  have  you  to  tell  me  I  lied?" 

"Because  it  was  you  who  stole  the  mail  bag,"  said 
the  kid. 

"Prove  it." 

148 


TUBERCULER  THE  TENDERFOOT 

Still  holding  the  gun  in  his  right  hand,  the  kid  drew 
from  his  pocket  a  red  handkerchief  in  which  a  face 
had  been  cut,  and  held  it  up  with  his  left  hand  so  it 
could  be  seen  by  all  in  the  room. 

"This/'  said  he,  "you  dropped  from  your  pocket 
while  pulling  your  tobacco  out  just  after  you  handed 
the  mail  bag  to  the  Boss,  and  he  saw  me  pick  it  up; 
when  you  went  into  the  barn  I  showed  him  these  holes 
in  it.  I  told  you  then  my  time  for  fun  was  coming, 
and  it  has  come  to-night,  so  get  out  there  and  dance 
for  the  boys." 

"I  can't,"  said  Zang,  and  made  no  attempt  to  get 
up.  Another  shot  rang  out  and  the  heel  of  Zang's 
boot  disappeared.  Like  a  flash  he  jumped  to  his  feet 
and  danced  as  he  had  never  danced  in  his  life,  for  he 
now  knew  the  kid  meant  business.  When  his  clothes 
were  dripping  with  perspiration,  the  tenderfoot  low- 
ered his  gun  and  demanded  everyone  in  the  room  to 
come  and  shake  hands  with  him,  which  means  in 
"cowland"  that  no  matter  what  has  been  the  differ- 
ences between  two  people,  they  are  now  friends. 


149 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

THE  RESISTING  SIOUX. 

"Go  to  sleep  little  one,"  said  Florence  Leslie  to  her 
baby  son,  for  he  seemed  over  wakeful,  restless,  and 
cross — almost  as  though  he,  like  his  mother,  had  a 
presentment,  for  to-night  Fate  had  played  her  a  cruel 
trick.  Through  a  misunderstanding,  she,  with  her 
little  boy,  was  alone  for  the  first  time  since  she  come 
to  the  ranch  a  bride,  and  those  who  would  have  risked 
all,  even  life  itself,  were  ignorant  of  the  danger  she 
was  in,  and  of  the  terrible  battle  that  had  that  day  been 
fought  between  Eagle  Feathers,  (the  Sioux  Chief) 
and  his  followers,  the  Newcastle  sheriff  and  his  posse 
of  trusty  cowboys. 

"Oh  Charles,  had  you  only  known  of  this  terrible, 
maddening,  long,  silent  night  when  you  left,  we  would 
then  have  been  safe,  and  this  fearful  strain  would 
have  been  avoided !" 

Slim,  the  cook,  she  had  let  go  to  see  if  he  might  be 
of  any  service  at  the  scene  of  the  trouble,  for  she  had 


THE   RESISTING   SIOUX 

fully  expected  her  husband  and  his  brother  home  that 
day,  but  through  some  misunderstanding,  neither  had 
arrived,  and  she  sat  alone  except  for  the  helpless  little 
one  and  her  only  comfort,  a  gun,  loaded  and  ready, 
should  she  need  to  use  it.  She  had  lighted  no  lamp 
fearing  it  might  act  as  a  guide,  should  some  of  the 
blood-thirsty  Sioux  chance  to  break  away  from  the 
posse  and  take  the  accustomed  trail  back  to  the  res- 
ervation. 

"Suppose,"  she  thought,  "they  would  carry  out  the 
threat  they  made  to  Charles,  last  Spring? — when  he 
had  papers  served  on  them  for  the  same  offense, — that 
of  slaughtering  game  in  great  quantity,  and  after  tak- 
ing only  the  choicest  parts  of  both  deer  and  antelope, 
leaving  the  remainder  to  decay  on  the  prairie." 

The  white  man  was  not  allowed  such  wasteful  priv- 
ileges, why  then  the  redskins  of  another  state  ?  When 
Charles  Leslie  and  a  Lusk  deputy  sheriff,  with  the  aid 
of  one  other  man,  attempted  to  arrest  them,  they  sim- 
ply told  them  they  would  not  go -and  as  the  reds  out- 
numbered the  sheriff's  party  many  times,  they  knew  it 
would  be  worse  than  useless  to  try  and  force  them. 
When  the  deputy  sheriff  had  secured  a  large  enough 
posse  to  take  them,  they  had  crossed  the  Dakota  line 
and  defied  them  with  the  word  "Dakota"'  meaning  of 
course,  "We  are  beyond  your  reach."  But  when  he 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

had  secured  extradition  papers,  the  posse  again  pur- 
sued them;  they  were  not  overtaken  however,  until 
they  had  reached  the  reservation,  where  the  agent  and 
authorities  refused  to  give  them  up.  The  chief,  after 
finding  the  name  of  the  party  who  had  pulled  his  gun, 
and  gotten  the  drop  on  him  for  trying  to  break 
through  the  ranks,  and  who  was  no  other  than  Charles 
Leslie,  said : 

"I  will  get  even ;  he  heap  bad  man." 

This  remark  or  threat  was  the  principal  cause  of 
Florence  Leslie's  alarm.  The  stillness  was  almost  un- 
bearable now  for  little  Charles  was  sleeping  and  noth- 
ing broke  the  dead  silence  for  an  hour,  when  suddenly 
she  heard  a  rushing  sound  from  the  direction  of  the 
draw  behind  the  house,  like  that  of  many  horses'  feet, 
hurrying  toward  the  Buck  Creek  hills. 

Kissing  her  little  son,  with  her  gun  cocked  and 
gripped  tightly  in  one  hand,  she  crept  to  the  door  and 
opening  it,  slipped  outside ;  after  locking  it,  she  walked 
close  to  the  house  on  the  darkest  side,  and  crouching 
low,  crept  to  the  back  of  the  bunk-house  and  stood  in 
the  shadow  watching  the  top  of  the  only  path  that  lead 
up  from  the  steep  embankment. 

How  the  minutes  dragged !  Several  times  she  went 
back  to  see  if  her  child  were  safe.  The  noise  in  the 
draw  decreased,  and  seemed  to  be  going  east.  A  short 

152 


THE   RESISTING   SIOUX 

'distance  below  the  house,  the  trail  left  the  draw  and 
came  into  the  open  flat,  and  after  watching  some  time 
in  that  direction,  she  saw  a  string  of  dark  objects  come 
out  of  the  draw  and  strike  out  at  a  rapid  pace,  in  an 
easterly  direction.  She  almost  shouted  for  joy;  she 
was  satisfied  now,  for  she  felt  the  danger  was  over, 
and  rested  easily,  with  her  little  boy  clasped  in  her 
arms. 

When  she  awoke,  the  sun  was  streaming  in  through 
the  window  to  which  she  quickly  rushed  and  saw  a 
fast  approaching  horse,  the  noise  of  whose  hoof-beats 
had  awakened  her.  It  was  her  husband  and  he  was 
riding  at  a  fearful  pace.  When  he  came  into  the  yard 
he  rode  up  to  the  door  instead  of  taking  his  horse  to 
the  barn  as  usual.  After  satisfying  himself  that  his 
wife  and  babe  were  safe,  his  first  question  was: 

"Where  are  Peddy  and  the  boys?" 

"I  have  not  seen  any  of  the  boys  except  Slim,  whom 
I  sent  to  the  fight ;  the  others  went  to  the  beef  round- 
up the  day  you  left,  and  Peddy  went  with  them  in- 
tending to  have  been  back  yesterday,  but  he  didn't 
come." 

"Then  who  was  here  to  take  care  of  you  and  the 
little  one?" 

"No  one,"  admitted  Florence,  with  a  tremor  in  her 
voice. 

153 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

"My  God  I  You  and  that  helpless  child  alone  with 
those  blood-thirsty  devils  fighting  only  twenty  miles 
away,  and  their  home  trail  almost  in  the  door-yard? 
I  cannot  see  why  Peddy  did  not  come.  Why  did  you 
let  Slim  go?" 

"I  thought  you  or  Peddy  would  be  here." 

"I  would  have,  had  I  known  you  were  alone.  I 
would  have  reached  here  somehow,  but  a  wrecked  car 
on  the  main  track  detained  us,  and  I  knew  nothing  of 
immediately.  Poor  brave  little  mother,"  said  Charles 
Leslie,  after  she  told  him  of  the  anxious  night  she  had 
passed.  "Why  could  this  not  have  happened  when 
we  were  all  here,  and  thus  saved  you  this  terrible  ex- 
perience !  I  will  get  the  horses  and  take  you  to  town 
where  you  will  be  safe  until  the  Indians  are  either 
captured  or  taken  back  to  the  reservation!" 

When  Charles  Leslie  was  bringing  the  driving 
horses  in  from  the  pasture,  he  saw  a  man  go  out  of 
sight  in  the  draw  that  ran  toward  the  house,  and  fear- 
ing it  might  be  a  stray  Indian,  he  rode  like  mad,  but 
on  reaching  there,  found  it  to  be  Jack  who  had  just 
come  from  the  battle  ground  on  Lightning,  and  was 
one  of  the  number  who  had  faced  the  fire  of  the  red 
skins.  Blood  stains  were  still  on  his  clothes,  evidence 
of  his  care  for  the  dead  and  wounded. 

"Is  it  over  or  are  they  in  need  of  help?"  were  the 

154 


THE   RESISTING   SIOUX 

words  with  which  Charles  Leslie  greeted  him  as  he 
rode  into  the  corral. 

"It  is  all  over,  and  some  of  the  Indians  were  taken 
to  Newcastle,  some  to  Lusk,  and  the  others  that  got 
away  last  night,  are  being  pursued  by  a  posse  of  men, 
who  are  hot  on  their  trail,  under  a  leader  who  will  not 
stop  short  of  their  capture,  unless  they  kill  him  as  they 
did  Miller,  whose  family  of  four  children  and  wife 
will  be  obliged  to  struggle  through  the  world  without 
him.  He  was  taken  back  to  his  home  dead,  as  was 
Deputy  Sheriff  Faulkenburg,  brought  down  by  the 
bullets  of  the  Sioux  who  have  so  many  times  threatened 
him.  All  I'm  sorry  for  outside  these  two  deaths,  is 
that  the  Indian  agent  wasn't  there  so  we  could  show 
him  where  to  head  in,  for  giving  them  Indians  permis- 
sion to  come  in  this  state  to  hunt  where  he's  got  no 
more  sayso  than  you  and  me.  He  sure  must  have 
known  what  kind  of  trouble-maker  that  Carlisle  Smith, 
or  Chief  Eagle  Feathers  was,  and  if  he  don't  know 
anything  about  them  Indians,  I  don't  see  what  they 
got  him  there  to  look  after  them  for.  For  my  part, 
Charles,  I  consider  the  blood  of  an  Indian  the  same  if 
he's  a  Carlisle  graduate,  or  a  home  grown  Sioux,  and 
the  man  that  is  put  in  charge  of  them  should  know 
something  of  state  laws." 

"What  started  the  fight,  Jack?    Tell  me  about  it." 

155 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

"Well,  I  was  with  the  beef  round-up  and  heard 
about  the  trouble,  and  that  Miller  was  going  after 
them,  so  hunted  him  up,  and  when  I  found  him, 
he  said : 

"  'Jack,  I'm  tired  of  this  business.  I  have  written 
but  they  won't  do  anything  at  the  Agency  to  stop  them 

d n  reds  coming  in  here  every  year,  and  if  a  white 

man  would  do  it  he  would  quick  be  made  to  respect 
the  laws.  Congressman  Mondell  also  wrote  to  the 
Department,  but  with  no  better  results.  I  have  tried 
to  make  a  peaceable  arrest  of  these  Indians  before,  but 
my  force  was  insufficient  to  compel  my  demands  with- 
out great  loss  and  I  had  to  abandon  it.  Some  fellows 
came  in  from  the  Cheyenne  and  Black  Thunder  Coun- 
try about  a  week  ago,  and  one  of  them  said  the  In- 
dians were  raising  hell  out  there  again  and  asked  me 
to  come  and  stop  it,  so  I  am  going.' 

"Miller  organized  a  posse  of  seven  men  and  himself 
and  started  out.  A  few  days  afterwards  they  en- 
countered some  Indians  near  the  A.  U.  7.  ranch,  and 
Miller  detailed  one  man  of  his  posse  to  take  them  back 
to  Newcastle.  The  main  body  of  Indians  was  en- 
countered at  the  74  Pens  on  the  Cheyenne  River,  and 
Miller  served  his  warrant  on  them,  and  stayed  about 
three  hours  in  camp  waiting  for  them  to  prepare  for 
the  trip  to  Newcastle,  and  they  started,  but  when  they 

156 


THE   RESISTING   SIOUX 

reached  the  forks  of  the  road,  Smith,  the  educated 
Indian,  took  the  Lance  Creek  road  in  the  opposite  di- 
rection to  Newcastle,  and  when  Miller  tried  to  talk  him 
into  going  to  Newcastle,  Smith  said  if  he  tried  to  force 
him  he  would  kill  all  his  men. 

"Seeing  the  helpless  condition  he  was  in,  Miller 
started  for  reinforcements  and  stayed  at  the  Fiddle- 
back  ranch  that  night.  The  next  morning  he  started 
two  men  out  to  take  the  track  of  the  Indians  and  to 
meet  him  at  the  Jake  Mills  Ranch.  That  night  I 
joined  them,  and  he  succeeded  in  getting  seven  extra 
men.  One  of  them  was  John  Owens,  the  old-time 
scout.  You  know  him,  don't  you,  Charles  ?" 

"Yes,  and  he  is  a  brave,  fearless  fellow.  He  has 
faced  death  many  times  to  my  knowledge,  and  it  was 
always  for  right." 

"Well,  to  come  back  to  the  Indian  trouble,"  said 
Jack,  "the  sheriff  and  ten  men  arrived  at  the  Jake 
Mills  ranch  that  evening  as  agreed,  and  had  camped 
and  prepared  supper,  and  some  of  the  men  had  eaten 
when  the  two  scouts  arrived  and  said  the  Indians  were 
tight  on  top  of  them  and  prepared  for  battle.  The 
sheriff  ordered  his  men  to  get  their  horses  and  go  out 
and  meet  them.  They  saw  them  coming  about  a  quar- 
ter of  a  mile  away,  and  the  Indians  caught  sight  of  the 

157 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

posse  at  the  same  time.  Owens  said  to  Miller :  These 
Indians  are  going  to  fight.' 

"Owens  has  not  been  on  the  prairie  for  forty  years 
for  nothing,  and  he  knew  what  their  actions  meant. 
'Miller,  the  first  thing  you  know  they  will  kill  and 
wound  some  of  your  men  and  you  will  be  whipped/ 
he  said.  You  know,  Charles,  the  Creek  is  dry  along 
there." 

"Yes,  I  remember." 

"Well,  he  told  Miller  to  take  his  men  and  go  down 
in  the  creek  and  keep  them  out  of  sight  and  he  would 
stay  on  the  bank  till  the  Indians  got  close  enough  for 
Miller  to  talk  to  them,  and  he  stood  there  till  they 
were  within  fifty  yards.  Then  he  said:  'Miller,  you 
are  within  fifty  yards  of  them  and  I  know  by  their 
actions  they  are  going  to  fire  on  us.  Do  they  know 
you?'  'Yes.'  'Then  we  will  talk  to  them.'  But  Miller 
wanted  to  cut  off  six  wagons  that  had  quite  a  space 
between  them  and  the  other  nine  wagons.  Owens 
said :  'No,  they  will  fire  on  us,'  but  Miller  insisted,  and 
Owens  went  with  him  and  that  was  when  the  fight 
commenced.  Owens  tried  to  talk  the  Indians  out  of 
fighting,  and  even  after  several  shots  had  been  fired 
he,  without  answering  their  fire,  said:  'Now  boys, 
none  of  that — we  want  to  talk  to  you.'  But  it  had  no 

158 


THE   RESISTING   SIOUX 

effect.  We  could  all  see  now  the  red-skins  meant 
business  and  it  would  be  a  case  of  fight.  Pretty  soon 
Miller  fell  and  we  got  down  to  steady  aiming,  then 
most  of  the  bullets  took  effect,  and  the  Indians  seeing 
their  leader  fall,  and  several  of  their  men,  became  dis- 
organized and  fled.  They  had  all  the  best  of  the 
ground  and  the  setting  sun  shone  in  our  eyes.  We 
had  all  the  worst  of  the  natural  position.  Although 
taking  them  Sioux  by  force  might  not  have  been  the 
wisest  thing  to  do,  we  went  out  there  with  the  inten- 
tion of  preventing  any  further  breach  of  the  law  by 
them  coyotes,  and  not  with  the  intention  of  starting 
any  fight,  for  I  think  most  of  the  boys  in  the  posse, 
like  myself,  had  the  idea  that  they  would  come  peace- 
ably but  when  they  started  it,  we  certainly  did  not 
intend  to  run. 

"Sheriff  Miller  did  everything  possible  as  an  officer, 
to  avoid  having  any  trouble  with  the  Indians — even 
to  exposing  himself  to  all  kinds  of  danger,  and  avoid- 
ed any  display  or  fancy  airs ;  he  done  the  square  thing 
in  the  whole  fracus.  We  tried  to  take  them  without 
trouble  but  we  were  there  to  do  our  duty  and  if  noth- 
ing but  shooting  would  do,  we  were  ready." 

Everything  was  quiet  as  usual  when  the  cowboys 
were  away,  and  Mrs.  Leslie  had  nearly  forgotten  her 

159 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

fright  when  one  of  the  boys  came  home  and  brought 
the  mail  and  of  course  all  were  anxious  to  see  what 
the  papers  had  to  say  of  the  fight  on  Lightning. 

"Jack,  what  do  you  think  of  this?"  said  Charles 
Leslie.  "This  paper  gives  an  account  of  the  fight — 
it's  anything  but  a  true  one ;  it  lays  the  cause  to  the 
white  men  and  says  the  posse  was  made  up  of 
toughs !" 

"I  would  like  to  have  that  Indian  agent  here  about 
now.  I'd  show  him  how  tough  I  am,  for  I  feel  that  it 
was  he  who  gave  that  account  of  the  affair,"  Jack 
answered,  "and  of  course  with  the  object  of  setting 
himself  straight  with  the  Department.  Let  them  ask 
Congressman  Mondell;  he  will  say  if  the  posse  was 
made  up  of  toughs  or  of  honest  citizens." 

"Cheers  for  our  governor !"  said  Mrs.  Leslie,  as  she 
read  from  the  Denver  Republican,  the  following : 

"Governor  refuses  to  surrender  Reds — Gov- 
ernor Chatterton  appeals  to  South  Dakota  Gov- 
ernor to  have  fugitives  sent  to  Wyoming. 

"Cheyenne,  Wyo. — 4 — Sheriff  Neilson  of 
Edgemont,  telegraphed  to-night  the  following  to 
Governor  Chatterton: 

"Edgemont,  So.  Dak., — F  Chatterton,  Gover- 
nor, Cheyenne,  Wyo. : 

160 


THE   RESISTING   SIOUX 

'  'Have  nine  buck  Indians ;  ask  Governor  of 
So.  Dakota  to  have  them  delivered  to  Sheriff  at 
Douglas.  Agent  wants  to  take  them.' 

(Signed)  A.  J.  Neilson,  Sheriff. 

"Gov.  Chatterton  replied  as  follows: 

A.  J.  Neilson,  sheriff,  Edgemont,  S.  D. 

"Your  telegram  received.  I  have  appealed  to 
governor  for  delivery  of  Indians  to  sheriff  of 
our  (Converse)  County.' 

(Signed)    F.   Chatterton,   Governor. 

"Shortly    after    getting    the    telegram    from    the 
sheriff,  the  Governor  received  the  following  telegram : 

"Edgement,  S.  D. — 4 — Governor  Chatterton, 
Cheyenne,  Wyo. 

"  'From  best  information  I  can  get  the  killing 
of  seven  Indians  in  Converse  County  last  Sat- 
urday was  totally  unjustifiable.  Indians  were 
traveling  on  road  with  their  families  in  wagons, 
when  fired  into  by  sheriff  and  posse.  Ten 
Indians  and  their  families  under  arrest  here  and 
held  by  order  of  sheriff  of  Converse  County. 
To  avoid  any  further  trouble  would  recommend 
you  order  their  release  and  allow  them  to  return 

161 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

to  agency.  I  will  be  responsible  for  them  and 
after  an  investigation  if  any  of  them  are  wanted 
I  will  turn  them  over  to  the  proper  authorities. 
They  were  arrested  in  Dakota  by  one  of  your 
sheriffs/ 

(Signed)  J.  R.  Brennan, 

U.  S.  Indian  Agent. 

"In  answer  to  this  the  Governor  telegraphed  as 
follows : 

"  'Your  telegram  received.  You  cannot  ex- 
pect Wyoming  to  waive  right  to  conduct  in- 
vestigation as  to  violation  of  its  laws.  The 
Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States,  in  the 
Race  Horse  case,  passed  upon  these  rights.  I 
would  advise  respect  now,  though  late,  for  the 
state's  rights.  I  must  insist  upon  these  Indians 
returning  with  the  sheriff  just  as  I  would  for 
the  return  of  a  white  man  charged  with  crime. 
My  information  regarding  killing  differs  from 
yours,  as  stated.  A  legal  investigation  in  my 
judgment  is  to  the  interest  of  your  Indians.' 
(Signed)  F.  Chatterton,  Governor." 

"I  cannot  see  who  would  be  such   a  falsifier  as 
to  give  the  agent   such   a   statement,"   said   Johnny. 

162 


THE   RESISTING   SIOUX 

"Look  in  the  News,  Charles,  and  see  if  you  can 
see  any  report  from  Prosecuting  Attorney  Mecum." 
"Yes  here  it  is" — after  a  short  search. 

"Special  to  the  News,  Cheyenne,  Wyo., — 2 — 
'Information  received  by  Governor  Chatterton 
from  Prosecuting  Attorney  Mecum  of  Converse 
Co.  gives  a  different  account  of  the  first  battle 
with  the  Sioux.  Mecum  visited  the  scene  of  the 
battle  and  made  a  personal  investigation,  return- 
ing to  Douglas  to-night.  He  says  that  Eagle 
Feather  first  opened  fire,  shooting  Falkenburg 
through  the  heart.  Black  Kettle  shot  Sheriff 
Miller  a  moment  later,  and  then  the  battle  oc- 
curred. Eagle  Feather  was  instantly  killed  as 
was  also  Black  Kettle.' 

"That  is  more  like  the  truth,"  said  Jack. 

Word  came  later  of  the  trial  of  the  Sioux  bucks, 
and  after  admitting  that  they  were  with  the  band  on 
Lightning,  they  got  out  of  their  trouble  nicely  by 
laying  all  the  blame  on  the  Indians  that  were  killed 
in  the  fight.  "We  killed  no  white  men,  dead  Indians 
kill  white  men,"  they  said,  and  were  turned  loose  to 
laugh  at  the  white  men  and  their  laws,  as  an  extract 
from  a  letter  written  by  Congressman  Mondell  to 

163 


THE    FOREMAN    'OF    THE    JA6 

Secretary  of  Interior,  Hon.   E.    .A.  Hitchcock,    will 
show. 

"I  have  heard  that  this  party  on  return  to  the 
reservation  was  made  much  of;  that  no  attempt 
was  made  by  the  authorities  to  impress  on  them 
the  fact  that  they  had  been  properly  and  legally 
fined  for  the  violation  of  the  laws  of  Wyoming ; 
but  on  the  contrary,  that  they  were  encouraged 
to  believe  that  their  arrest  and  imposition  of  a 
fine,  was  unwarranted  and  illegal." 

Jack  had  gone  back  to  the  round-up  after  finding 
that  he  was  not  needed  at  the  ranch,  Mr.  Leslie  hav- 
ing returned  and  Sunshine  (he  was  informed  by  Mrs. 
Leslie),  had  gone  to  Laramie  to  visit  some  relatives 
and  was  not  expected  back  for  some  time. 

When  he  heard  this  last,  he  jogged  along  toward 
the  beef  herd,  reflecting  on  the  sudden  gloominess  of 
the  place. 

The  Leslies  had  just  sat  down  to  dinner  when 
someone  outside  called.  Mr.  Leslie  went  to  the  door 
and  found  it  was  Slim,  who  said  he  had  just  left  the 
boys  with  the  beef  herd  on  the  Lance  Creek  divide. 

"Jack  wants  to  know  if  you  have  an  order  to  ship 
the  Bel  Pre  cattle,  'cause  if  you  hain't,  he  wants  to 
cut  'em  out  right  away." 

1164 


THE   RESISTING   SIOUX 

"You  can  put  your  horse  up,  Slim,  I  will  ride  over 
there  as  soon  as  I  have  eaten  my  dinner.  How  are 
the  Indians?" 

"Why  the  dead  ones  and  Miss  Hope-Clear-Gray- 
Bear  are  all  right,  but  the  rest— ugh,  no  more  Indian 
fights  for  me — the  compliments  for  good  cooking  look 
better  to  me  than  the  glories  of  a  dead  hero !" 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

THE    STAMPEDE. 

"How's  that  for  a  bunch  of  grass  beef  steers?" 
Jack  asked  the  Boss. 

"They  certainly  do  look  well,  Jack,  and  they  will 
bring  a  good  price  if  we  can  keep  them  quiet  till  we 
are  ready  to  load  them  on  the  cars." 

They  were  undoubtedly  a  pretty  "bunch,"  with  the 
exception  of  a  very  few  off-colors.  They  were  red 
with  the  clean  white  face  invariably  found  in  the 
Hereford  all  about  the  same  size  and  age.  One  did 
not  have  to  be  an  experienced  butcher  or  packer,  to 
know  that  such  a  bunch  of  steers  would  make  good 
beef  and  would  kill  out  profitably  to  the  man  looking 
for  good  killers,  for  they  had  breadth,  depth  and  firm- 
ness. 

"Peddy,  we  need  not  be  ashamed  of  the  JA6  brand 
showing  up  on  them,  in  any  market,"  said  Charles 
Leslie  to  his  brother  who  had  just  ridden  up  to  in- 

\  1 66 


THE    STAMPEDE 

spect  the  beeves;  and  with  a  smile  of  satisfaction  he 
answered : 

"You're  right,  providing  they  don't  stampede  and 
lose  half  their  weight. 

"I'm  mighty  glad  there  is  plenty  of  fellers  to  stand 
guard  to-night  'cause  it  looks  a  heap  like  a  storm, 
and  if  we  get  electricity  as  well  as  rain  these  cattle 
will  be  hard  to  hold." 

"Yes  and  when  the  boys  of  the  other  outfits  get 
here  with  fresh  cattle  they  will  likely  get  mighty 
restless." 

"Buck  and  myself  with  a  couple  of  the  Lance  Creek 
boys  will  stand  first  guard,  and  Jack  and  Zang  can 
stand  on  another  guard,  and  that  will  give  you  fellows 
that  were  out  so  long  last  night,  a  chance  to  get  a 
little  more  sleep,"  said  Peddy.  "There  will  be  enough 
without  them  if  the  cattle  don't  stampede  and  if  they 
do,  a  few  can  do  as  much  as  many  if  it  is  dark  as  it 
was  last  night." 

The  night  and  the  storm  advanced  together.  What 
was  a  light  shower  when  the  sun  went  down,  by  mid- 
night was  a  blinding  rain  accompanied  by  crashing 
thunder  and  fiery  lightning  that  danced  hither  and 
thither  on  the  ears  of  the  horses  and  the  ears  and 
horns  of  the  cattle  as  they  milled  and  bawled.  The 
darkness  was  appaling,  but  the  boys  on  guard  thought 

167 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

only  of  the  cattle  as  they  went  round  and  round.  They 
knew  well  there  would  be  dead  cattle  in  the  center  of 
that  herd  but  they  could  do  nothing  to  stop  them  till 
daylight.  As  the  first  streaks  appeared  in  the  East, 
Harry,  Tom  and  Charles  Leslie  came  to  relieve  the 
wet,  hungry  boys  who,  but  for  Zang,  were  all  in 
sight. 

"Where  is  Zang?"  asked  the  Boss. 

"He  is  just  over  the  bank  to  the  right  of  the  herd. 
Wanted  a  smoke,  I  expect,  and  I  forbid  the  boys 
striking  any  matches  around  the  herd,"  said  Jack. 
"I  will  go  and  tell  him  you  are  with  the  steers  so  he 
can  come  on  in  with  us."  And  so  saying,  Jack  rode 
away  in  the  direction  of  the  bank  over  which  he  had 
said  Zang  had  gone,  and  there  he  found  just  what  he 
expected — 'Zang  curled  up  under  a  big  flat  rock  that 
extended  out  from  the  bank,  sound  asleep,  his  horse 
tied  to  a  sage  brush. 

Jack  untied  his  horse  and  calling  him  by  name  told 
him  he  could  go  to  the  camp  and  finish  his  "nap"  as 
the  new  relief  was  with  the  herd,  "But  remember," 
said  he,  "you  came  over  the  bank  a  few  minutes  ago 
to  smoke,  do  you  understand?" 

"Yes  but  I'll  say  what  I  damn  please  about  my 
coming  over  here." 

"As  you  like,  but  if  you  tell  the  truth  don't  forget 

168 


THE    STAMPEDE 

that  last  night  was  a  bad  night  for  any  four  honest 
men  to  hold  that  bunch  and  you  know  how  the  West 
loves  a  'coward  and  a  sneak.' " 

Zang  reached  for  his  gun  but  Jack  rode  up  a  little 
closer  and  said : 

"You  don't  want  to  get  me  now;  my  friends  up 
there  are  too  close  with  that  herd  of  restless  beef 
steers;  the  sound  of  the  shot  would  make  them  stam- 
pede. You  better  put  that  shooting-iron  away  till  a 
later  date." 

"Curse  you — I  hate  you,"  said  Zang. 

"That  makes  no  difference  to  me ;  I  only  care  that 
you  do  your  duty  by  the  men  who  pay  you  and  while 
I  am  responsible  for  their  interests,  as  their  foreman." 

"I  know  all  about  it,"  said  Zang.  "It's  that  yeller- 
haired  female  that  you're  feeling  so  responsible  about. 
Sunshine!  if  that  ain't  a  peach  of  a  name.  Ha,  Ha!" 
But  Zang  stopped  short  in  his  laugh,  for  before  he 
realized  what  had  happened,  he  was  gazing  into  the 
barrel  of  the  biggest  45  Colts  he  had  ever  had  the 
misery  to  look  into;  while  a  steady  hand  held  it,  a 
steadier  voice  said : 

"Utter  another  disrespectful  word  about  her  and 
you  will  never  see  Sunshine  Golden  or  the  sun- 
shine of  heaven.  Get  on  that  horse  and  take  the  lead 
out  of  the  gulch."  Zang  obeyed  in  sullen  silence. 

169 


THE    FOREMAN    OR    THE    JA6 

"Jack,  was  Zang  asleep  in  the  gulch  ?"  Peddy  asked 
•when  the  others  had  gone  to  camp  to  prepare  for 
breakfast. 

"Yes,  I  missed  him  about  midnight  and  thought 
that  was  where  he  had  gone,  for  when  I  saw  him  last, 
in  one  of  the  lightning  flashes,  his  horse  was  headed 
that  way  instead  of  toward  the  cattle.  All  the  rest 
of  you  I  saw  at  intervals  during  the  flashes." 

"I  think  I  will  let  him  out  when  we  get  to  the  rail- 
road with  these  cattle,"  said  Peddy. 

"I  have  been  wanting  to  tell  you  something  for  a 
long  time  but  am  not  quite  ready  yet  and  I  would  like 
you  to  keep  Zang  until  that  time  comes,  if  possible, 
for  you  will  want  him  then,  and  bad  too,  and  if  you 
fire  him  now  you  may  not  be  able  to  find  him  when  you 
want  him.  And  besides,  I  could  not  make  any  asser- 
tions against  Zang  just  yet,  for  I  have  not  all  the 
proof  I  want." 

"Your  judgment  has  always  been  good,  Jack,  and 
I  will  ask  Charles  not  to  fire  him  before  speaking  to 
you." 

All  day  the  rain  continued  to  fall  until  just  before 
sunset  when  the  sky  cleared,  but  the  sun  had  scarcely 
sunk  from  sight  when  a  low  rumbling  was  heard  in 
the  northwest  and  the  dark,  heavy  clouds  came  float- 
ing back.  Jack,  and  Harry  Stanley  his  most  intimate 

I  170 


THE    STAMPEDE 

friend,  were  jogging  along  into  camp  for  supper  and 
a  change  of  horses.  When  they  had  ridden  for  some 
time  in  silence  and  were  out  of  hearing  of  the  other 
boys,  Jack  asked  Harry  the  reason  of  his  worried  look. 

"Are  you  sick,  old  pal?" 

"I  do  not  know  any  more  than  you,  Jack,  what  is 
the  matter  with  me  or  if  the  trouble  is  really  with  me 
or  Tracy.  For  two  days  I  cannot  get  her  off  my  mind 
for  one  single  minute,  and  everywhere  I  look  I  seem 
to  see  her  and  she  looks  so  sad  and  worried.  I  am 
afraid  she  is  either  sick  or  in  trouble.  I  am  not  sup- 
erstitious, but  never  in  my  life  have  I  felt  like  I  now 
do." 

"I  will  stand  your  guard  to-night,"  said  Jack, 
"and  you  get  a  good  rest  and  perhaps  you  will  feel 
better  to-morrow;  then  when  the  herd  gets  on  Old 
Woman  Creek  you  can  go  over  and  see  if  Tracy  and 
her  mother  are  all  right." 

"No — I  would  rather  stand  guard  myself  as  I  can't 
sleep  and  the  night  seems  to  drag  so.  I  am  awake  to 
your  kindness  but  I  will  stand  my  turn." 

"As  you  like,  Harry,  but  if  you  feel  like  sleeping, 
wake  me." 

They  were  now  at  the  camp  and  nothing  more  was 
said  on  the  subject  which  was  destined  to  be  a  sad 
memory  in  the  mind  of  Jack  Randolph  ever  after. 

171 


That  night  proved  to  be  a  repetition  of  the  previous 
one  and  instead  of  the  cattle  becoming  accustomed 
to  it,  they  seemed  to  grow  more  restless  with  every 
hour.  The  boys  sang  from  the  time  they  came  on 
guard,  till  they  were  relieved  by  the  next  guard. 

Those  who  have  never  stood  on  guard  during  a 
dark,  stormy  night,  when  you  must  depend  only  on 
the  judgment  of  your  wiry  little  bronch  to  keep  you 
out  of  the  wire  fences,  prairie  dog  holes,  and  the 
thousand  and  one  dangers  of  night  herding  a  bunch 
of  beef  cattle,  can  never  know  the  horror  or  fascina- 
tion of  this  dangerous  work.  The  boys  who  were  not 
on  guard  were  sleeping  soundly,  when  a  heavy  voice 
rang  loud  above  the  storm,. 

"1  wish  there  was  a  trap  door  in  hell  that  would 
open  and  let  you  all  in.  Some  fellow  get  up  and  get 
his  horse  and  take  my  place.  If  you  can,  find  the 
dam'd  herd.  They  will  be  somewhere  between  here 
and  the  V  5  pasture." 

"Where  is  your  horse,  Tom?"  asked  Jack. 

"I  hope  the  dam'd  cayuse  is  in  hell ;  if  he  hain't,  he 
will  be  when  I  get  my  eyes  on  him  cause  I'll  fill  him 
full  o'  lead  when  I  find  him." 

Tom  had  a  light  now  and  Jack  could  see  plainly 
what  was  the  cause  of  his  wrath.  His  chaps  were 
scratched  and  torn  into  fragments  and  his  hands  were 

172 


The  herd  had  "stampeded." 


THE   STAMPEDE 

badly  cut  while  he  was  smeared  all  over  with  blood. 

"What  did  he  do,  Tom,  throw  you  into  the  fence  ?" 

"No,  he  ran  sideways  into  it,  then  got  scared  and 

wound  himself  and  me  all  up  in  the  wire.     I  got  off 

and  he  kicked  me  in  the  leg  trying  to  get  out  of  the 

mess." 

Jack  called  the  Boss  and  told  him  of  Tom's  mis- 
fortune and  he  got  up  immediately  to  help  Tom  care 
for  his  wounds  while  Jack  started  out  to  find  the  herd. 
He  had  ridden  some  time  when  he  heard  a  sound 
that  made  his  heart  rise  in  his  throat  and  the  perspira- 
tion to  stand  in  great  drops  on  his  forehead.  It  was 
the  sound  of  many  hoofs  on  the  ground  as  their  own- 
ers ran  at  a  rapid  pace.  The  herd  had  "stampeded." 
Jack's  first  thought  when  he  realized  what  had  hap- 
pened, was  of  Harry,  his  trusty  pal,  for  he  was  posi- 
tive he  would  do  all  in  his  power  to  stop  those  cattle 
even  at  great  risk  to  himself.  He  urged  Prince  to  do 
his  best,  well  knowing  he  would  keep  his  feet  if  it 
were  possible.  When  he  had  ridden  what  seemed  to 
him  an  endless  time,  he  began  to  discern  a  dark  mass 
of  objects  moving  a  short  distance  in  front.  He  tried 
to  gain  on  them  thinking  he  might  be  able  to  get  along 
the  side  of  the  bunch  and  get  them  to  circling.  Where 
were  Harry  and  the  others  that  were  on  guard?  They 
were  likely  up  toward  the  front  of  the  herd.  He 
hoped  no  one  would  try  to  ride  in  front  of  that  mad- 

173 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

dened  bunch.  The  sky  was  clearing  in  the  East  and 
he  could  plainly  see  that  something  had  happened  to 
cause  the  cattle  to  slacken  their  pace  a  little,  and  he 
began  to  be  hopeful,  when  they  seemed  to  have  taken 
a  fresh  start  and  to  dash  on  as  though  determined  to 
complete  their  destruction. 

"What  is  it,  Prince?"  For  that  knowing  animal 
had  stopped  so  quickly  he  gave  his  rider  a  sudden 
jolt  and  caused  him  no  little  difficulty  in  retaining  his 
seat.  Jack  peered  anxiously  ahead  and  saw  that  they 
were  on  the  edge  of  a  small  draw  which  was  filled 
with  dead  and  dying  cattle.  He  found  a  place  a  little 
further  down  to  cross,  and  rode  as  fast  as  he  could 
force  Prince  to  go,  for  he  was  showing  some  fatigue. 

When  he  again  caught  up  with  the  herd  he  could 
see  several  of  the  boys  toward  the  lead  trying  to  circle 
the  cattle,  and  came  to  the  conclusion  that  daylight 
would  soon  put  an  end  to  their  excitement  and  they 
would  quiet  down.  At  this  juncture,  without  warning, 
the  leaders  swerved  to  the  right,  and  amid  the  terrific 
roar  of  those  frightened,  maddened  brutes,  he  heard  a 
terrible  agonized  cry  of  a  man,  that  was  quickly 
smothered  in  the  awful  din  of  the  excited  and  dying 
cattle.  Short  as  had  been  that  cry,  he  had  recognized 
the  voice  of  Harry.  Quick  as  human  power  could 
make  it  possible,  he  reached  the  side  of  the  friend  who 
had  always  seemed  more  like  a  brother  to  him. 

174 


CHAPTER  XV. 
HARRY'S  LAST  ROUND-UP. 

When  Jack  got  through  the  cattle  that  had  become 
somewhat  quieted,  and  reached  the  side  of  his  kind- 
hearted  pal,  the  sight  that  met  his  eyes  was  one  never 
to  be  forgotten.  He  sprang  quickly  from  his  horse 
and  took  the  blood  smeared  head  in  his  arms  and 
begged  Harry  to  speak  to  him. 

"For  God's  sake  tell  me  you  are  not  all  in.  Don't 
you  know  me,  old  pal  ?  It's  Jack ;  say  just  one  little 
word." 

Some  of  the  other  boys  had  come  up,  and  seeing 
how  things  were,  rode  away  again  at  a  break  neck 
speed.  One  for  a  doctor,  and  one  to  the  camp,  while 
a  third  came  back  shortly  with  his  big  Stetson  hat 
turned  inside  out  and  filled  with  water.  They  gave 
him  some  to  drink  and  wiped  the  blood  from  his  face 
and  head  as  best  they  could.  Using  their  saddle 
blankets  for  a  pillow,  they  made  the  poor  bruised  and 

175 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

maimed  boy  as  comfortable  as  possible  till  the  bed- 
wagon  would  come. 

When  they  had  waited  some  time,  they  heard  some- 
thing that  caused  them  to  jump  to  their  feet  and  look 
intently  in  the  direction  from  whence  it  came.  It  was 
the  bed-wagon;  on  the  seat  were  two  men,  and  the 
four  horses  hitched  to  it  were  galloping  at  a  rapid 
pace.  Jack  started  for  Prince  but  saw  that  the  driver 
was  Charles  Leslie,  and  he  was  now  getting  them 
slowed  down  as  they  were  nearing  the  place  where 
Harry  lay. 

While  Brownie  and  Buck  put  up  a  tent,  Jack  and 
Charles  Leslie  forced  some  stimulant  into  Harry's 
mouth.  This  seemed  to  revive  him  a  little,  and  he 
opened  his  eyes,  but  with  a  twinge  of  agony  closed 
them  and  again  became  unconscious. 

"The  bed  is  ready,  Boss,"  said  Buck,  and  stooping 
they  tried  to  lift  their  charge  carefully,  but  as  they 
lifted  him  their  faces  grew  nearly  as  white  as  the 
man's  they  were  carrying,  and  an  exclamation  escaped 
Jack's  tightly  drawn  mouth. 

"Great  God!"  he  sobbed,  while  drops  of  perspira- 
tion ran  down  his  sympathetic  face. 

As  they  lifted  the  unfortunate  boy  from  the  ground, 
both  legs  and  one  hand  hung  helplessly  down.  They 

176 


HARRY'S    LAST    ROUND-UP 

removed  his  clothes  and  boots  by  cutting  them  away, 
and  it  was  then  that  Jack  thought  of  Tracy. 

"Oh,  why  didn't  I  think  of  her  before ;  if  he  wakes 
it  is  she  he  will  want  and  no  one  else.  If  he  wakes, 
tell  him  I  have  gone  for  Tracy  and  to  hold  on  hard 
till  we  come." 

When  he  was  about  half  way,  he  saw  someone 
coming  toward  him;  the  figure  looked  neither  to 
right  nor  left,  but  bending  low  over  the  neck  of  its 
horse,  was  plying  the  quirt  with  all  possible  strength. 

One  look,  and  he  knew  it  was  Tracy;  evidently 
Peddy  had  told  her  as  he  passed  there  going  for  the 
doctor.  As  she  neared  him  she  could  fiot  speak,  for 
her  eyes  were  dry  and  her  throat  swollen  almost  to 
suffocation,  but  Jack  understood  the  question  in  her 
pleading  eyes  and  told  her  Harry  still  lived.  She  did 
not  answer,  but  bending  lower  over  her  horse  forced 
him  to  greater  speed. 

When  they  reached  the  tent  where  Harry  lay,  Jack 
looked  searchingly  at  Charles  Leslie,  and  receiving  an 
approving  nod,  led  the  way  to  the  injured  man's  pres- 
ence. Tracy  threw  herself  on  her  knees  beside  the 
one  who  had  given  her  all  the  love  of  his  brave,  young 
heart. 

"Harry!  Do  you  know  me?  It  is  Tracy — won't 
you  speak  to  me?" 

177 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

Her  voice  had  worked  like  magic,  for  with  one 
great  effort  he  roused  himself,  and  as  he  uttered  her 
name,  Jack  withdrew  quietly.  When  he  again  entered 
the  tent,  he  felt  that  Harry  was  beyond  human  help, 
for  he  had  been  drawn  in  by  the  heartbroken  sobs  of  a 
girl  who  begged  in  vain  to  the  being  she  loved  best 
to  "speak  to  her  just  once  more !"  When  his  eyes  fell 
on  the  face  of  the  wounded  man,  he  knew  that  his 
faithful  pal  had  gone  over  the  Big  Divide  that  has  no 
return  trail. 

Jack's  concern  for  Tracy  in  her  inconsolable  grief 
took  away  the  sharp  pangs  of  his  own  sorrow. 
1  "Come  Tracy,  you  must  not  give  way  like  this," 
he  told  her,  as  he  assisted  her  to  her  feet  and  led  her 
gently  from  the  tent.  After  a  moment:  "Did  Harry 
make  any  request  about  where  he  wanted  to  be 
taken?" 

Between  sobs  she  told  him  he  wished  to  be  buried 
on  the  prairie  near  his  home. 

Jack  accompanied  Tracy  to  her  mother,  after  prom- 
ising to  come  back  next  day  with  a  buggy  to  take 
them  to  the  home  of  Harry's  parents  where  the  fun- 
eral would  be  held.  Jack  and  Charles  Leslie  took  all 
that  remained  of  Harry  Stanley,  to  his  grief  stricken 
parents  who  had  only  learned  of  the  death  of  their 
boy  about  an  hour  before. 

178 


HARRY'S    LAST    ROUND-UP 

The  boys  of  the  neighboring  outfits  took  charge 
of  the  JA6  cattle  until  the  cowboys  of  that  outfit  had 
paid  their  last  tribute  of  respect  to  their  unfortunate 
pal.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Leslie  left  early  in  the  morning, 
in  the  small  carriage,  that  they  might  drive  fast  and 
get  to  the  Stanley's  as  soon  as  possible  in  order  to  be 
of  what  assistance  and  comfort  they  could  to  the  sor- 
rowing ones. 

Jack  had  taken  the  larger  buggy  and  it  was  lucky 
he  did,  for  a  surprise  awaited  him  at  the  Petz  home. 
When  he  reached  the  yard  gate,  a  familiar  form 
tripped  out  and  opened  it  for  him. 

"Sunshine !"  he  said,  in  glad  astonishment  at  seeing 
her  before  him,  when  he  thought  her  miles  away  visit- 
ing relatives  at  Laramie. 

"Are  you  glad  to  see  me  back?"  she  asked. 

"How  can  you  ask  it  ?  I  think  you  must  know  I  am 
always  glad  to  see  you."  He  tried  to  keep  his  voice 
steady,  but  without  result.  "I  am  more  glad  to  see 
you  now,  and  here,  than  at  any  time  or  place  that  I 
have  ever  been.  They  needed  you,"  he  said,  pointing 
to  the  house,  "and  then  I — I  need  you.  I  was  thinking 
just  before  seeing  you  how  much  better  it  would  have 
been  had  it  been  I  instead  of  Harry." 

"Don't!"  she  said. 

"And  while  I  was  thinking  how  very  much  they 

179 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

would  miss  him',  I  looked  up  and  saw  you,  and  I 
thought  maybe  someone  would  a'missed  me  a  little 
too." 

"Please  don't — I — we — would  all  miss  you.  I  must 
go  and  tell  them  you  are  here." 

"Not  till  you  have  told  me  how  you  came,  and 
when,"  he  said,  seizing  her  hand  and  holding  it  gently 
but  firmly. 

"I  came  out  with  a  driver  from  Demmon's  Livery, 
and  reached  here  last  evening.  I  saw  Peddy  when  he 
came  for  the  doctor  and  I  felt  I  must  come  and  be  of 
what  little  comfort  I  could,  to  poor  Tracy." 

"Yes  she  will  need  you ;  this  will  be  a  very  sad  day 
for  her,"  and  taking  the  trembling  little  hand  in  his 
for  a  second,  he  turned  away  to  hide  his  emotion. 

"Jack  is  here,  Tracy;  he  is  waiting  for  us,"  said 
Sunshine,  as  she  entered  the  house.  "Please  be 
brave." 

They  were  soon  on  their  way  to  perform  their  last 
sad  duty.  When  they  reached  the  little  mother,  and 
Tracy  saw  how  deep  was  her  grief,  she  was  much 
braver  than  they  had  dared  to  believe  she  would  be. 

The  casket  was  plain  but  the  many  kind  remem- 
berances  in  the  form  of  wild  flowers  that  lay  upon  it, 
bunched  and  tied  by  rough  cowboy  hands,  meant 
more  to  those  sorrowing  ones  than  costly  bouquets 


'HARRY'S   LAST   ROUND-UP 

tied  with  satin  bows.  Every  bunch  wound  around 
with  grass,  showed  them  that  the  boy  beneath  was 
bound  by  the  ties  of  true  friendship  to  one  more  com- 
rade of  the  plains. 

There  was  no  minister  to  preach  an  eloquent  ser- 
mon, only  an  employer,  who  told,  in  trembling  voice, 
of  the  fine  qualities  of  the  brave,  true  hearted  boy  who 
lay  cold  in  death.  No  choir  sang  anthems,  only  Sun- 
shine's voice  could  be  heard,  sweet  and  trembling: 

"Safe  in  the  arms  of  Jesus, 
Safe  on  His  gentle  breast, 
There  by  His  love  o'er  shaded 
Sweetly  my  soul  shall  rest." 

Cowboys  with  clanking  spurs  bore  the  crude  casket 
to  its  last  resting  place  beneath  a  large  pine  that  stood 
alone,  on  a  side  hill,  the  only  monument  to  mark  the 
resting  place  of  Harry  Stanley. 


181 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

THE  WINNING  HAND. 

The  cattle  had  been  loaded  into  the  cars  after 
considerable  difficulty,  with  the  cavey  used  as  a  decoy 
to  entice  them  into  the  stockyards,  and  as  the  trains 
sped  toward  the  market,  the  cowboys  rode  at  a  reck- 
less speed  into  the  little  town,  with  a  whoop  and  yell, 
which  told  the  people  who  lived  on  the  main  street, 
they  might  as  well  give  up  all  idea  of  sleep  for  at  least 
twelve  hours. 

"Now  boys,"  said  Jack,  "I  don't  care  what  you  do 
with  your  summer's  wages,  or  if  you  blow  'em  all,  but 
I  do  care  if  you  leave  your  horses  tied  out  here  in  the 
street,  a'shiverin'  an'  a'pawin',  while  you  are  warming 
up,  and  raisin'  Hell.  Come  with  me  and  take  care  of 
them  and  the  first  drinks  will  be  on  the  Boss,  with  his 
compliments." 

"Woop  ye !"  sang  out  Brownie,  "we'll  drink  to  his 
health,  for  he's  the  one  with  the  fine  disposition!" 

With  much  clanking  of  spurs,  they  filed  noisily  into 

182 


THE    WINNING    HAND 

Holsapple  saloon,  and  gathering  around  the  bar, 
ordered  drinks  on  the  Boss,  for  the  house. 

"Come  on  feller,"  said  Brownie  to  a  quiet-looking 
stranger,  "drink  the  health  of  the  Boss!" 

"I  don't  know  your  Boss." 

"Don't  know  the  Boss  of  the  JA6?" 

"No." 

"Well  your  hain't  barred  anyhow." 

"I  don't  drink." 

"Have  a  smoke,  then?" 

"Don't  smoke." 

"Do  you  eat  hay??" 

"No." 

"You  unprincipled  Heathen!  You're  no  fit  asso- 
ciate for  man  or  beast.  Who  are  you,  anyway,  St. 
Peter?" 

Receiving  no  answer,  he  turned  to  his  noisy,  laugh- 
ing companions,  and  after  muttering  something  about 
people  with  stuck-up  dispositions,  forgot  the  exist- 
ence of  the  stranger,  his  entire  attention  being  taken 
up  with  a  poker  game  in  which  he  had  a  hand  that 
was  causing  him  to  part  quickly  with  his  entire  sum- 
mer's wages. 

"Sev'n  come  elev'n,"  sang  out  a  voice  from  an 
obscure  corner  of  the  cowboy's  "temple,"  and  the 
punchers  knew  that  Tom  O'Day  was  again  at  his  fav- 

1183 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

orite  post,  in  front  of  the  crap  table,  "rolling  the 
bones." 

"Big  Dick  from  Boston.  Dicey  don't  you  fool  me ! 
There's  big  Dick !  You  all  know  him,  boys ;  he  brings 
smiles  and  the  drinks  for  the  house;  line  up  before 
the  bar  if  you're  friends  of  mine,  for  I've  got  'em 
acomin'  my  way!  Hit  'em  an'  split  'em  dicie!  Up 
jumps  the  devil.  Take  the  dirty  eagles,  for  they're 
pickin'  out  my  pockets !  Try  again's  my  motto ;  if  I 
lose  'em  every  one,  I'll  have  my  bronch  and  saddle 
and  my  spurs,  and  big  six  gun.  A  natural  won't  hurt 
him.  Come  Phebe!  Little  Phebe  that  picked  the 
cotton.  Roll  out  an'  get  him  bones." 

When  Tom  had  given  up  his  last  dollar,  he  turned 
away  in  disgust,  and  with  no  thought  for  the  morrow, 
looked  for  another  source  of  amusement,  which  he 
soon  found  in  Zang,  who,  having  imbibed  too  much 
fire-water,  was  snoozing  happily  in  the  corner. 

"Say  fellers,"  said  Tom,  "turn  your  lamps  on  that 
'er  sleepin'  beauty,  an'  tell  me  if  you  don't  agree  with 
me  that  his  handsome  face  needs  a  little  doctorin'  ?" 

Without  waiting  for  their  decision,  he  called  for 
a  bottle  of  black  and  a  bottle  of  red  ink,  and  a  large 
cork.  Zang's  face  soon  wore  the  expression  of  a 
Sioux  warrior,  and  from  the  top  of  his  head  a  large 
bunch  of  the  long  black  locks,  of  which  he  was  so 

184 


THE    WINNING    HAND 

proud,  was  taken,  and  after  pasting  it  to  a  piece  ot 
red  paper,  was  left  dangling  at  his  belt.  The  cork 
was  split  lengthwise  and  a  dozen  nine-day  sulphur 
matches  stuck  into  it,  and  placed  on  the  victim's  nose. 

"Take  his  gun  Buck,  an'  I'll  light  the  sticks." 

When  the  matches  began  to  burn,  a  dozen  voices 
yelled  fire,  and  someone  gave  Zang's  chair  a  vicious 
kick.  That  individual  became  alive  and  fought  his 
head  as  though  all  Hades  had  turned  their  firey  blasts 
upon  him.  As  the  cork  fell  from  his  nose,  he  reached 
for  his  gun  and  found  his  holster  empty.  Tom  O'Day 
grabbed  him  by  the  arm,  and  calling  everyone  up, 
said: 

"This  is  one  on  the  sleeping  beauty,  just  to  show 
you  there  is  no  hard  feeling." 

When  they  reached  the  bar,  Zang  was  smiling  and 
licking  his  lips,  but  looking  up,  he  caught  sight  of  the 
red  painted  spot  on  the  top  of  his  head,  and  his  hand 
brushed  the  hair  of  the  hideous  mocking  scalp  at  his 
belt.  He  drew  his  hand  across  his  eyes  as  though  to 
obliterate  the  repulsive  face  reflected  in  the  mirror 
before  him.  Shouts  of  laughter  brought  him  to  a 
realization  of  the  truth,  and  he  again  reached  for  his 
gun  but  with  empty  hand  turned  to  the  others  and 
shaking  his  fist,  cried : 

"Laugh,  you  blubberin'  Sons-of-B's !  I'll  kill  every 
worthless  one  of  you  before  snow  flies." 

185 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

Tom  held  a  glass  of  the  real  goods  under  the  nose 
of  the  angry  man,  and  the  smell  of  the  liquid  was  too 
much  for  him,  and  when  he  had  drained  every  drop, 
he  was  soon  laughing  with  the  others  at  the  savage 
looking  warrior  in  the  glass,  and  a  few  minutes  later 
was  seated  at  a  table  interested  in  a  poker  game  with 
Buck,  Brownie  and  "Me  lord,"  wrangler  for  the 
twenty-one  (21). 

"Who  won  that  Jack-pot?"  inquired  O'Day. 

"Buck,  the  lucky  dog,"  said  Brownie. 

"Well  he  better  come  through." 

"Sure ;  everybody  drink." 

"Light  of  my  life !"  said  O'Day,  as  he  winked  at  a 
full  glass  of  Gloryanna. 

The  game  had  proceeded  for  some  time  and  had 
now  grown  too  serious  for  hilarity. 

"Let  me  have  another  fifty,"  said  Brownie  to  Jack, 
who  had  been  watching  the  game  for  some  time  with 
a  suspicious  eye  open  toward  Zang. 

"Yes,  if  you'll  let  me  hold  the  pasteboards,  for  I 
think  I  can  change  your  luck." 

The  scowl  on  Zang's  face  did  not  disconcert  Jack 
in  the  least  and  he  proceeded  to  deal  in  an  uncon- 
cerned manner;  everybody  stayed,  and  all  drew  three 
cards.  Zang  bet  two  and  a  ha1!,  Buck  passed,  Jack 
called  that  and  raised  him  ten. 

186 


THE    WINNING    HAND 

"That's  good,"  said  Me  lord;  "that's  too  stiff  for 
this  hand." 

Zang  called  that  and  raised  him  twenty,  Jack  called 
him  and  tapped  him.  Zang  pushed  his  money  toward 
the  center  of  the  table  and  bringing  a  beautiful  Black 
Hill's  gold  ring  into  light,  he  placed  it  on  top. 

"I'll  put  that  in  at  ten  dollars." 

"Agreed,"  said  Jack. 

"Ace  full,"  said  Zang  as  he  spread  them  under 
Jack's  nose,  and  with  the  words :  "Beat  that,  damn 
you,"  he  raised  up  to  draw  the  money  from  the  table. 

As  he  reached  for  the  money,  cards  fluttered  from 
his  sleeve.  In  his  excitement  he  had  forgotten  the 
telltale  cards. 

"Six  full,"  said  Jack,  as  he  threw  down  on  the 
astonished  Zang  and  with  a  steady  finger  on  the  trig- 
ger, took  the  money. 

He  called  Brownie,  and  giving  him  the  money  he 
said,  "I  thought  I  could  change  your  luck." 

Me  lord,  who  had  been  a  silent  witness  of  the  affair, 
got  up  and  asked  permission  to  examine  the  ring.  He 
looked  on  the  inside  and  showed  Brownie  the  initials 
T.  H.  from  E.  H. 

"It  is  as  I  thot.  This  ring  belongs  to  a  friend  of 
mine  and  I  know  he  would  not  a'parted  with  it  if  he 
hadn't  been  broke.  I  will  give  you  ten  for  it  and  give 

187 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

it  back  to  him  for  he  done  me  a  good  turn  once.    His 
sis  give  it  to  him  and  I  know  he  hated  to  let  it  go." 

Brownie  was  glad  to  get  ten  dollars  for  the  ring  as 
he  had  no  use  for  it,  and  Me  lord  was  glad  of  the 
opportunity  to  do  a  kind  turn  for  the  man  who  had 
come  to  his  rescue  on  the  memorable  night  he  was 
initiated  into  the  (21)  outfit. 

A  poker  table  was  placed  in  one  corner,  and  after 
putting  a  chair  upon  it,  the  punchers  "boosted" 
George  Quinn,  the  fiddling  freighter,  to  beat  the  dust 
out  of  the  green  felt,  keeping  time  to  the  familiar 
strains  of  "Turkey  in  the  Straw"  while  every  man  in 
the  house  danced  in  the  "stag  quadrille."  The  excite- 
ment was  at  its  height  when  the  town  marshal  step- 
ping just  inside  the  door,  with  a  swelled  chest,  de- 
manded in  a  deep  voice  that  the  noise  be  "stopped  at 
once ;"  for  answer  he  was  grabbed  by  Mayes,  the  edi- 
tor and  mayor,  deprived  of  his  star,  which  Mayes 
placed  on  his  own  coat  and  announced  to  that  indi- 
vidual that  he  "would  run  the  town  till  morning  and 
to  run  along  home  and  get  his  little  nap ;"  and  shoving 
him  outside,  kicked  the  door  shut  behind  that  indig- 
nant gentleman,  amid  shouts  of  laughter  from  the 
punchers,  who  continued  their  dancing  until  they  be- 
gan to  grow  weary. 

Buck  put  out  the  lights  with  his  gun,  which  was  a 
sign  for  all  hands  to  hunt  a  place  to  sleep. 

388 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

TRACY  PLAYS  DETECTIVE. 

Tracy  had  ridden  since  early  morning  looking  for 
Patchen.  The  sun  was  in  the  middle  of  the  sky  and 
she  had  found  no  trace  of  him.  She  came  across  the 
bunch  of  horses  he  always  ran  with,  but  Patchen  was 
not  there.  She  finally  decided  he  must  be  dead  or  hurt, 
if  some  one  had  not  ridden  him  away,  for  this  was  the 
first  time  he  had  not  gone  straight  back  to  his  old 
range  in  the  V.  5  pasture  on  being  turned  out. 

After  riding  many  miles  on  a  rough  gaited  horse 
and  feeling  tired,  she  turned  toward  home  much  dis- 
appointed at  not  finding  Patchen.  For  some  time  be- 
fore reaching  the  gate  she  heard  cattle  bawling,  and 
thinking  it  might  be  wolves  troubling  them,  she  urged 
her  horse  to  a  faster  gait,  but  when  she  got  to  them 
she  found  them  to  be  a  small  bunch  of  JA6  cows. 
What  could  this  mean?  She  saw  from  the  condition 
of  their  bags  the  calves  had  been  taken  from  them 
recently.  She  was  positive  this  had  not  been  done  by 

189 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

the  Leslies  or  by  their  orders  as  they  would  not  have 
been  left  in  the  V-5  pasture.  She  got  off  her  horse  to 
open  the  gate  and  saw  tracks  where  cattle  had  been 
recently  driven  in  through  it,  and  over  all,  a  man's 
tracks  where  he  had  closed  the  gate  and  started  his 
horse  in  the  opposite  direction. 

Tracy  followed  the  track  a  short  distance  on  foot 
for  something  in  the  print  of  that  horse's  hoofs  had 
attracted  her  attention.  It  was  the  print  of  the  left 
hind  foot.  She  had  never  seen  but  one  horse  with  a 
hoof  like  it  and  that  horse  was  Patchen.  Harry  had 
attempted  several  times  to  trim  it  down,  but  Patchen 
was  so  vicious  during  the  proceeding,  that  Tracy  had 
begged  him  to  let  it  go. 

"I  am  sure  that  someone  has  ridden  him  away. 
This  whole  affair  looks  crooked  to  me.     I  am  going 
to  turn  those  cows  out  and  follow  them,"  she  said. 

Crossing  Lance  Creek,  and  watching  the  tracks  in 
the  meantime,  she  was  rewarded  by  finding  a  place 
where  a  man  had  dismounted  and  stooped  to  drink, 
leaving  several  tell-tale  marks.  During  this  perform- 
ance, he  had  put  his  hand  on  the  soft,  muddy  bank. 
On  examining  it  closely,  she  found  something 
which  was  hard  for  her  to  understand — a  perfect  hand 
— all  but  the  first  finger  which  had  a  large  lump  on  it. 
She  could  think  of  no  one  who  had  such  a  finger. 

IQO 


TRACY    PLAYS    DETECTIVE 

Then  like  a  flash  it  came  to  her.  That  finger  must 
have  been  hurt  and  was  wrapped  with  a  rag.  She  also 
found  that  long  shanked  spurs  had  left  their  mark 
behind  the  print  of  the  boot.  Then  she  thought  of  the 
hoof  print  she  had  found  by  the  V-5  gate,  and  after 
a  little  more  searching  found  just  what  she  had  an- 
ticipated— the  print  of  the  bad  shaped  hoof  of 
Patchen. 

"I  will  get  you,  Mr.  Rustler,  if  I  have  to  follow 
you  for  a  week." 

Just  after  dark  she  came  upon  a  pen  made  in  the 
end  of  a  draw  and  in  that  pen  were  the  missing  calves. 
Upon  satisfying  herself  the  calves  belonged  to  the 
JA6  cows,  she  took  her  horse  into  a  low  place  and 
tied  him  to  a  sage-brush,  and  crept  back  close  enough 
to  watch  the  turn  of  events  when  the  moon  would 
come  up. 

After  waiting  for  some  time,  she  heard  a  horseman 
approaching  from  the  Buck  Creek  side.  She  crept 
lower,  and  holding  her  six-shooter  ready,  watched  the 
man  ride  straight  to  the  calf  pen.  When  he  saw  the 
cows  running  around  trying  to  get  to  their  calves  he 
began  to  swear,  and  dug  his  spurs  into  his  horse's  side. 

"Poor  Patchen,"  said  Tracy  to  herself,  "I  wish  you 
would  buck  him  off." 

But  who  was  the  man?    She  knew  everyone  in  that 

191 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

part  of  the  country  but  was  positive  she  had  never 
seen  this  man  nor  heard  his  voice  before.  He  drove 
the  cows  a  short  distance,  then  came  back  and  hur- 
riedly changed  horses,  taking  the  horse  that  was 
staked  close  to  the  pen  and  leaving  Patchen  in  his 
place.  When  he  had  gone  out  of  hearing,  she  hur- 
riedly saddled  her  horse,  and  riding  to  where  Patchen 
was  staked,  put  the  saddle  on  him  and  turned  the 
other  one  loose;  he  at  once  started  at  a  brisk  trot 
toward  home. 

When  she  was  ready  to  go,  she  took  the  end  of  the 
rope  with  which  Patchen  had  been  fastened,  and  tak- 
ing a  dally  around  the  saddle  horn,  started  toward 
Leslie's,  leaving  the  impression  that  Patchen  had 
pulled  up  the  sage  brush  to  which  he  was  staked,  and 
had  lit  out  for  home.  The  grass  being  thick,  she  knew 
there  would  be  no  footprints. 

The  hounds  greeted  Tracy  with  a  low  growl  as  she 
rode  up  to  the  door  at  the  JA6  ranch.  Charles  Leslie 
had  heard  the  dogs  and  came  out  to  see  what  was 
the  cause  of  their  disturbance.  He  was  surprised 
at  perceiving  Tracy,  and  noticing  his  worried  look, 
she  hurried  to  assure  him  there  was  no  trouble, — only 
a  few  strayed  cattle.  She  thought  it  would  not  be 
best  to  tell  him  the  truth  as  she  had  found  it,  until 
she  could  be  more  positive  about  the  matter.  Re- 

192 


TRACY    PLAYS    DETECTIVE 

membering  Harry  had  told  her  he  and  Jack  had  been 
suspicious  over  certain  actions  in  Zang  that  didn't 
look  just  straight,  she  decided  to  confide  in  Jack.  As 
she  went  into  the  house  she  saw  him  come  out  and 
take  her  horse,  so  without  a  moment's  hesitation,  she 
retraced  her  steps  and  followed  him. 

"Jack,"  she  called  under  her  breath  as  she  neared 
the  barn,  for  she  did  not  wish  any  of  the  men  in  the 
bunk  house  to  hear  her,  "I  must  talk  to  you.  Take 
Patchen  somewhere.  Zang  must  not  see  him.  Make 
an  opportunity  for  me  to  talk  to  you  and  say  nothing 
at  present,  to  the  rest." 

So  it  was  agreed  upon — they  were  to  meet  clandes- 
tinely, and  Sunshine  was  to  help  along  the  good 
work;  entering  the  house  again,  she  managed  to  get 
that  young  lady,  leaving  all  explanation  till  the  three 
were  far  enough  from  the  ranch  to  converse  without 
fear  of  being  overheard,  when  she  said  she  wanted 
Sunshine  to  know  what  had  happened  that  day,  for 
she  felt  sure  Zang  was  in  the  affair,  and  she  wanted 
her  to  know  too,  he  was  in  love  with  her,  and  being 
such  a  desperate  fellow,  might  cause  some  trouble. 
This  was  a  revelation  to  Jack. 

"Why  do  you  think  he  is  in  love  with  her,  Tracy?" 
he  asked. 

"Harry  told  me  so." 

193 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

"Well  it  won't  be  well  for  him,  if  he  ever  'does 
annoy  her,"  he  said,  with  rising  anger. 

"I  do  not  anticipate  any  trouble  from  him,  for 
judging  from  his  looks,  I  believe  he  hates  me,"  said 
Sunshine. 

"I  think  I  should  prefer  that  to  the  other,"  Tracy 
replied. 

"Tell  us  what  brought  you  here  so  late,  Tracy," 
said  Sunshine. 

"I  have  been»doing  a  little  detective  work.  I  was 
hunting  for  Patchen  and  found  a  bunch  of  JA6  cows 
that  was  bawling  and  showed  signs  of  the  calves  being 
taken  from  them  and  I  let  them  out  and  followed 
them." 

"Where  did  you  find  them?"  asked  Jack. 

"In  the  V-5  pasture." 

"Did  you  find  the  calves?" 

"Yes;  I  found  them  in  a  pen,  and  I  hid  and 
watched." 

Then  she  related  all  that  had  happened  and  why 
she  did  not  want  Zang  to  see  Patchen. 

"Have  you  noticed  if  Zang  had  a  finger  with  a  rag 
wrapped  around  it?" 

"Yes,"  said  Sunshine.  "He  has  the  first  finger  of 
the  right  hand." 

"He  got  off  his  horse  to  drink  on  Lance  Creek  and 

194 


TRACY    PLAYS    DETECTIVE 

left  his  hand-mark  in  the  soft  mud,  and  it  is  he,  then, 
that  took  my  horse  out  of  the  V"5  and  put  the  calves  in 
that  pen." 

"The  stranger  has  likely  come  to  take  the  calves  out 
of  the  country,"  said  Jack. 

"What  will  you  do  about  it,  Jack?"  asked  Tracy. 

"Watch  Zang  when  he  leaves  to-morrow  and  fol- 
low him." 

"We  will  go  with  you,"  said  Sunshine. 

"I  could  not  think  of  letting  you  go,  for  they  may 
get  desperate  when  they  find  they  have  been  caught." 

Tracy  gave  Sunshine's  hand  a  sly  squeeze,  and 
when  Jack  looked  the  other  way  she  made  a  motion 
that  seemed  to  satisfy  her. 

"What  did  you  do  with  Patchen,  Jack?"  Tracy 
asked. 

"I  put  him  in  the  draw  east  of  the  house.  Zang 
got  his  horse  up  last  night,  so  I'm  sure  he  will  go 
straight  to  Lance  Creek  in  the  morning." 

It  was  getting  late  and  they  returned  to  the  house. 
When  the  girls  were  in  their  rooms,  Sunshine  asked 
Tracy  if  she  thought  there  would  be  any  trouble. 

"The  reason  I  pinched  your  arm  to-night  was,  be- 
cause I  had  made  up  my  mind  to  go,  regardless  of 
what  Jack  said,  and  take  you  with  me  if  you  wanted 
to  go." 

195 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

"If  I  wanted  to  go  ?  You  knew  I  would  want  to  go. 
But  what  will  Jack  say  ?" 

"He  won't  know  it  till  he  sees  us  there,  that  is  if 
we  need  to  show  ourselves.  Should  there  be  no 
trouble,  he  will  not  know  we  are  there." 

"You  are  a  trump,  Tracy." 

"Let's  get  into  bed  for  we  will  have  to  get  up 
early." 

When  morning  came,  Jack  had  gone  and  Zang  was 
getting  ready  to  go.  They  watched  him  ride  away, 
headed  straight  toward  Lance  Creek  and  the  pen. 
Sunshine  wrote  a  note  to  Mrs.  Leslie  telling  her  that 
she  had  gone  with  Tracy  and  she  thought  they  would 
be  back  by  noon. 

Tracy  took  a  saddle  horse  from  the  barn  and  went 
after  Patchen,  and  Prince,  Jack's  horse,  for  Sunshine. 
They  rode  hard  till  they  drew  near  the  pens,  then 
leaving  their  horses  in  a  deep  gulch,  walked  up  within 
a  short  distance  from  where  the  calves  were  fastened 
in  the  rudely  constructed  pen.  Then  on  their  hands 
and  knees  they  crawled  in  the  high  sage  brush  until 
they  were  close  enough  to  see  all  that  was  going  on. 
The  calves  were  still  there  but  not  a  human  being  in 
sight.  They  were  talking  low  and  were  beginning  to 
think  perhaps  Jack  had  run  into  Zang  before  he 
reached  the  pen,  when  suddenly  they  heard  horses' 

196 


TRACY    PLAYS    DETECTIVE 

hoofs  and  soon  Zang  rode  into  sight ;  going  up  to  the 
pen,  he  got  off  his  horse  and  started  to  take  down  the 
poles,  then  stopped;  looking  around  he  gave  a  loud 
whistle  but  received  no  response.  He  fastened  the 
poles  then,  and  proceeded  to  light  a  fire  after  which  he 
too£  a  ring  from  his  saddle  pocket  and  heated  it  thor- 
oughly. He  then  threw  a  calf  on  its  side  and  hog- 
tying  it,  branded  it  with  the  ring.  When  he  let  the 
calf  up,  it  had  a  plain  MX  on  its  side.  He  stooped 
to  stir  the  fire  after  dropping  the  ring  into  it,  and  as 
he  raised  up,  a  steady  voice  commanded  him  so  sud- 
denly to  "throw  up  his  hands,"  they  were  up,  before 
he  realized  it. 

Jack  now  came  closer  and  looking  first  at  Zang, 
then  at  the  calf,  said:  "So  you  are  the  owner  of  the 
•brand?" 

"You  have  not  heard  me  lay  claim  to  it,  have  you  ?" 
"No;  but  the  proofs  are  enough  for  me." 
"What  are  you  going  to  do  about  it?" 
"Mr.  Leslie  must  decide  that  when  I  turn  you  over 
to  him.    Drop  your  gun,  Zang." 

Zang  obeyed  and  Jack  took  possession  of  it  and  put 
it  in  the  top  of  his  trousers.  A  horseman  was  ap- 
proaching and  Jack,  wondering  who  it  might  be, 
turned  around  to  look  in  the  direction  from  whence 
came  the  sound ;  had  not  help  been  near,  this  would 
have  teen  his  undoing,  for  no  sooner  had  he  turned 

197 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

his  head,  than  Zang,  with  the  swiftness  of  desperation, 
snatched  from  beneath  the  breast  of  his  shirt,  a  second 
gun,  and  as  Jack  turned,  he  looked  into  the  deadly 
weapon  pointed  square  in  his  face  and  at  full  cock. 

"You  are  mine  at  last,"  said  a  cold,  hard  voice,  but 
before  he  had  finished  speaking  a  shot  rang  out  and 
Zang's  gun  dropped  to  the  ground.  Jack,  wondering 
who  could  have  been  his  saviour,  stepped  up  and  took 
possession  of  gun  No.  2  just  as  Sunshine  and  Tracy 
came  out  of  the  brush  on  the  edge  of  the  gulch.  Sun- 
shine's face  was  white  as  death,  but  Tracy's  was  calm 
and  determined  and  in  her  hand  she  still  held  the 
smoking  gun. 

"Tracy,  what  can  I  say?  How  can  I  thank  you? 
I  thought  you  were  both  at  the  ranch,"  said  Jack. 

"We  feared  something  like  this,  and  could  not  stay 
there,"  Sunshine  said. 

"Little  girl,"  taking  her  hand,  "I  sure  do  appreciate 
your  thoughtfulness,"  he  replied. 

Somewhat  abashed,  her  eyes  dropped,  and  with- 
drawing her  hand,  she  turned  and  walked  toward 
Zang. 

"Won't  you  leave  here,  if  they  will  give  you  one 
more  chance?  I  am  sorry  you  are  in  this  mess.  If 
they  will  let  you  go,  won't  you  go  far  away  and  never 
come  back  ?" 

198 


TRACY    PLAYS    DETECTIVE 

"Miss  Sunshine,  if  you  want  me  to,  I  will  go  tr.ther 
side  the  big  pond  if  you  can  get  them  to  let  me  loose/' 
said  Zang. 

"I  will  talk  to  Jack  and  see  if  I  can  do  anything 
for  you." 

"Thank  you ;  I  am  sure  he  will  not  refuse  you.  I 
could  not  myself." 

She  took  little  heed  of  the  last  remark,  but  inquired 
of  him  if  he  knew  the  man  who  rode  up  and  then 
dashed  away  in  such  a  hurry. 

"Yes  I  know  the  cowardly  cur,  and  when  I  meet 
him  again,  there'll  be  a  reckoning." 

"Don't  you  think  it  would  be  better  for  you  to 
drop  those  ideas  and  live  a  different  life?" 

"Well  ma'am,  I  'spect  it  would,  but  it's  a  little  late 
in  the  game." 

"Better  late  than  never." 

"Bein'  you  look  at  it  that  way,  I'll  try,  ma'am." 

"I'm  glad  to  hear  you  say  so." 

Jack  and  Tracy  had  been  talking  the  matter  over, 
and  had  come  to  the  conclusion  that  it  would  be  best 
to  take  Zang  and  the  calves  to  the  ranch  and  let  the 
Leslie  brothers  decide  the  matter  themselves. 

"What  have  you  decided  to  do  with  Zang,  Jack?" 
asked  Sunshine. 

"Take  him  to  the  ranch." 

199 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

"If  Mr.  Leslie  is  willing,  will  you  turn  him  loose  to 
try  and  make  a  new  start?  He  has  promised  he  will 
leave  the  country  forever." 

"We  will  talk  to  Mr.  Leslie  first.  I  cannot  say  yet, 
but  why  are  you  so  interested  in  him?" 

"Simply  because  I  feel  sorry  for  anyone  who  has 
not  been  taught  honesty,  and  think  often  if  such  peo- 
ple were  given  a  chance  to  see  the  error  of  their  ways, 
they  would  reform;  sometimes  if  they  are  compelled 
to  go  to  prison,  they  become  hardened  toward  all  man- 
kind because  one  man  must  go  to  the  pen  for  stealing 
a  calf  while  another  steals  hundreds  of  thousands  of 
dollars,  and  goes  without  punishment.  Let  the  Leslies 
decide  the  matter.  I  will  ride  to  the  ranch  and 
ask  them  to  meet  you,  for  if  they  wished  to  let  Zang 
leave  the  country  he  will  not  want  to  see  the  others," 
said  Sunshine. 

She  found  Charles  Leslie  and  told  him  all  that  had 
happened  and  also  about  Zang's  promise  to  reform. 
After  a  long  talk  with  Jack  and  the  prisoner,  Charles 
Leslie  decided  to  be  merciful  and  give  the  latter  a 
chance  for  a  new  start. 

Zang  seemed  very  grateful  and  thanked  them  all  and 
with  a  long,  lingering  look  at  Sunshine,  left  the  coun- 
try forever,  while  Jack's  scowl  followed  him. 

200 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

THE  NEW  NEIGHBORS. 

"We've  got  new  neighbors  on  the  Tim  ranch,"  said 
Brownie  who  had  just  come  into  the  house  to  tell  the 
news  on  his  return  after  a  hurried  trip  to  town. 

"Who  are  they?"  asked  Mrs.  Leslie. 

"Their  name  is  Roy,  and  I  think  they  came  from 
Wisconsin.  I  don't  know  just  how  many  of  them 
goes  to  make  up  the  family  but  I  saw  two  good  lookin* 
girls,  that  would  be  worth  stealin',  if  a  feller  could 
work  it  like  an  Indian.  Hain't  Peddy  been  tellin'  you 
about  the  little  black  eyed  one  ?" 

"I  have  heard  nothing  about  them  until  now.  'Fess 
up  Peddy,  what  you  keepin'  it  dark  for?" 

"I  have  nothing  to  confess,"  said  Peddy,  but  his 
evident  confusion  told  them  much.  "I  went  to  the 
school  house  on  Old  Woman  Creek  at  recess  and 
asked  for  a  drink  of  water  and  met  Miss  Olive,  who 
is  teaching  there,  and  I  was  riding  after  cattle  over 

201 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

that  way  one  day  and  dark  caught  me,  so  I  stayed 
over  night  at  her  home." 

"Whoop  ye,"  sang  out  Brownie.  "What  an  inno- 
cent disposition!  If  that  ain't  rich!  Never  drank 
out  o'  anything  but  the  rim  of  his  Stetson  before, 
when  he  was  ridin',  but  suddenly  takes  a  hankerin*  to 
drink  once  more  out  of  'the  school-house  dipper.'  Just 
to  bring  back  old  school-days  I  suppose,  eh,  Peddy? 
Say,  if  you  keep  on  getting  so  innocent,  the  angels 
will  swoop  down  here  an  take  you  home." 

"O  shut  up." 

"I  will,  Peddy,  only  please  put  Queen  Olives  on  the 
next  chuck  order,  Mrs.  Leslie,  'cause  he'll  never  eat 
keg  mustard  pickles  any  more.  Ha!  Ha!"  and  as 
Peddy  jumped  from  his  chair,  he  went  through  the 
door  and  round  to  the  bunk  house  to  tell  the  boys, 
who  tried  to  find  out  through  him  something  of  the 
new  girls  on  the  Tim  ranch,  but  their  efforts  proved 
fruitless.  He  suggested,  if  they  wanted  to  know  any- 
thing more  than  he  had  already  told  them,  to  go  and 
find  out  for  themselves. 

"I  b'lieve  I  will,"  said  Buck.  "I  often  thot  I  would 
like  to  go  to  school  again  for  a  few  days.  I'll  ask 
Mrs.  Leslie  if  she  ain't  got  a  second  or  third  reader 
layin'  about,  I  could  borry  to  take  with  me.  I  won't 
want  anything  higher  'cause  I'd  have  to  study  an'  I 

202 


THE  NEW  NEIGHBORS 

swore  off  on  that  when  I  rode  my  first  bronch.  Say 
Peddy,  did  you  ever  hear  that  fine  little  song:  'School 
days,  school  days,  dear  old  golden  rule  days'  ?" 

"Shut  up.  Buck  you've  got  a  voice  like  a  buzz- 
saw." 

"I  wasn't  singing  for  the  music  part  only ;  I  wanted 
you  to  hear  the  words ;  they  are  so  'tender  and  sweet.' 
Everything  about  a  school-house  is,  you  know." 

Peddy  only  smiled,  but  as  he  rode  away  he  thought 
much  of  the  pretty  little  black-eyed  teacher  who 
seemed  so  timid  of  everything  and  everyone  in  what 
she  called  this  wild,  wild  West.  Would  she  ever  get 
so  she  would  look  at  him  ?  for  she  would  always  look 
down  whenever  she  found  he  was  looking  at  her.  He 
dared  not  entertain  a  hope  that  she  was  interested  in 
him  in  any  way  but  as  a  friend. 

"I  always  thought  I  would  not  want  to  be  bothered 
with  a  home  and  family,  but  since  I  seen  that  little 
girl  I  have  noticed  how  much  Charles  seems  to  enjoy 
that  same  bother.  What  that  little  teacher  has  done 
to  make  me  change  my  views,  I  can't  say.  But 
changed  they  certainly  are.  When  I  first  talked  to  her 
she  hated  these  wild,  barren  plains,  and  seemed  to 
think  the  people  that  inhabited  them,  heathens.  But 
•when  I  talked  to  her  yesterday  she  said  she  was  learn- 

203 


THE,    FOREMAN    'OR    THE    JA6 

ing  to  like  it,  the  sunsets  were  so  glorious  and  the  air 
so  fresh  and  pure.  'And  I  am  beginning  to  like  the 
unpretentious  manner  of  the  cowboys,'  she  said. 

"I  begin  to  feel  quite  flattered  when  I  think  of 
•what  she  said.  When  I  asked  her  later  if  she  knew 
many  of  the  boys,  she  answered : 

"  'No,  only  one  of  the  older  ones  and  you/  I  won- 
der which  one  was  the  cause  of  her  changing  her 
mind, — the  older  one,  or  me?" 

"Say  Peddy,  brace  up,  the  clouds  are  not  so  black 
in  your  sky ;  don't  let  an  old  cowboy  beat  you  in  the 
race  for  a  pretty  schoolma'am  like  that.  Neat  and 
clean  as  a  bran'  new  saddle  an'  cooks  chuck  fit  for  the 
gods.  An'  say,  the  way  she  does  hammer  them  pianie 
keys.  It  makes  me  lightheaded  to  watch  her,"  con- 
tinued Peddy  talking  to  his  shadow.  "She  is  just  the 
size  to  look  good  and  that  little  red  affair  she  had 
under  her  chin  was  just  the  right  contrast  to  her  hair 
an'  eyes." 

Before  he  realized  where  he  was,  his  horse  "stood 
before  the  gate  of  the  Tim  pasture  waiting  for  him  to 
open  it. 

"Say  Spider,  you  old  rascal,  I  must  not  let  the  boys 
ride  you  if  they  are  coming  this  direction ;  I'm  afraid 
you  would  give  me  away,  and  I  would  never  hear  the 
last  of  it. 

204 


THE  NEW  NEIGHBORS 

"Bein*  you  want  to  go  this  way,  Spider,  we'll  just 
ride  through  and  go  along  Old  Woman  Creek  and  if 
it's  about  the  time  the  kids  get  out  of  the  school  house 
for  a  little  exercise,  why  we'll  just  stop  an'  say  howdy 
to  the  little  schoolma'am.  If  she  looks  at  me  a  little 
encouraging  I'll  just  ask  her  to  ride  into  the  village 
with  me  to  the  dance  next  week." 

When  Peddy  rode  past  the  Roy  home,  the  father  of 
Miss  Olive  came  out  to  ask  him  if  he  had  seen  any 
of  his  cattle  on  Lance  Creek  and  talked  so  long  that 
young  man  began  to  get  uneasy,  wondering  if  it  was 
not  nearly  time  for  the  youngsters  to  get  out.  After 
making  a  few  awkward  blunders,  he  excused  himself 
saying  he  was  going  to  meet  a  party  on  Old  Woman 
Creek. 

Riding  leisurely  away,  he  crossed  the  creek,  and 
getting  out  of  sight  surprised  Spider  with  a  few 
sharp  digs  with  the  spurs  which  caused  him  to  jump 
ahead  and  run  at  break  neck  speed,  but  before  reach- 
ing the  little  school  house  on  the  bank  of  the  creek, 
Spider  had  been  slowed  down  to  a  gentle  trot. 

Miss  Olive,  hearing  the  approaching  horseman, 
came  to  the  door  just  as  one  of  the  urchins  called  out : 

"Oh  teacher;  here  comes  your  new  beau." 

"Aw  shut  up,"  said  Peddy,  in  an  undertone.  "I 
just  come  to  get  a  drink." 

205 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

"Then  you'll  have  to  go  down  to  the  creek,  'cause 
the  pail's  empty." 

"Here  kid,"  he  said  handing  him  a  bright  shining 
cart  wheel,  "  go'n  get  a  pail  of  water,  an*  shut  your 
mouth." 

The  kid  did  as  he  was  told.  Peddy  took  a  great 
deal  of  time  tying  his  horse's  reins  to  its  front  leg, 
for  he  had  no  excuse  to  get  into  that  school  house  till 
the  boy  got  back  with  the  water  but  when  he  did,  he 
went  straight  to  that  pail  and  drank  like  a  man  who 
had  ridden  all  day  in  the  hot  sun  and  dry  sand,  in- 
stead of  coming  only  twelve  miles  right  through  two 
creeks  to  get  a  fill  out  of  the  limited  supply  in  the 
school  house  pail. 

"How  are  the  children  alearnin',  Miss  Olive  ?" 

"Very  well,  thank  you." 

"Are  you  very  tired  on  Friday  nights?" 

"Not  usually." 

"There  is  going  to  be  a  little  social  dance  at  the  hall 
in  the  village.  I  was  awonderin'  if  you  would  like  to 
go." 

"Yes  I  should  like  it  very  much." 

"Then  I  will  drive  over  and  take  you  in.  Can  you 
be  ready  to  go  right  from  here?" 

"Yes;  and  you  must  excuse  me  now  as  it  is  time 
to  call  school,"  and  Peddy,  whistling  gaily,  now  that 

206 


THE  NEW  NEIGHBORS 

he  had  accomplished  his  purpose,  went  back  to  his 
horse. 

It  seemed  that  Friday  would  never  come.  Time 
surely  passed  too  slowly !  But  when  it  did  come,  and 
he  had  eaten  his  breakfast,  he  left,  telling  Charles 
not  to  count  on  him  for  a  couple  of  days.  It  took  him 
nearly  all  forenoon  to  find  the  driving  horses  as  he 
would  take  none  but  the  best.  When  he  had  them  in 
the  corral  they  had  to  be  cleaned  and  the  buggy  taken 
down  to  the  creek  and  washed.  How  glad  he  was 
the  boys  were  all  away  that  morning,  fixing  the  pas- 
ture fence  and  hunting  the  horses  that  had  gone 
through  it  and  were  badly  scattered.  Then  came  what 
is  always  a  trial  to  a  cowboy — dressing  up.  He  got 
into  a  pair  of  California  trousers,  a  cream  flannel  shirt, 
a  dark  red  tie  and  black  coat  and  shoes.  How  he 
hated  those  shoes ! 

"I  couldn't  be  a  dude,"  he  mused,  "not  even  for  that 
little  schoolma'am !" 

When  he  drove  up  to  the  door  he  thought  he  never 
saw  a  prettier  picture  than  the  one  before  him.  His 
"schoolma'am"  attired  in  a  dark  red  tailored  suit  and 
a  hat  of  the  same  color,  with  a  large  plume  falling  over 
one  side  peeping  slyly  out  from  under  an  auto  veil, 
was  the  picture  framed  by  the  rough  door  casing  of 
the  little  log  school  house. 

207 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

A  PICTURE  IN  THE  CLOUDS. 

"Have  you  heard  anything  of  Zang,  Jack?"  askefl 
Sunshine. 

"Yes,  I  saw  a  fellow  from  Casper  at  Shelden's,  and 
he  said  he  saw  Zang  hitting  the  trail  for  the  Big  Horn 
Basin." 

"Then  he  will  not  reform,  will  he  ?" 

"I  cannot  say  as  to  that,  but  must  confess,  I  have 
my  doubts." 

"Then  I  sincerely  hope  he  has  no  one  to  worry  or 
that  he  will  cause  no  heart  breaks." 

"Won't  you  waste  a  little  of  your  sympathy  on 
someone  who  is  nearer,  and  can  appreciate  it?  I 
know  a  man  very  close  who  may  not  die  of  a  broken 
heart,  but  will  live  a  very  sad  life  if  he  cannot 
interest  a  certain  young  lady  in  the  happiness  of  his 
future.  I  have  never  joined  a  church,  for  I  couldn't 
live  up  to  the  promise  I  would  have  to  give,  so  I 
would  not  give  a  promise  even  to  myself,  I  could  not 

208 


A  PICTURE    IN    THE    CLOUDS 

keep.  I  am  not  even  a  Christian  as  the  world  under- 
stands the  word,  but  when  I  came  to  this  great  free 
West,  I  was  just  a  kid  of  fifteen.  I  could  not  stand 
office  or  city  life.  I  wanted  to  see  more  of  the  blue 
sky,  and  when  I  saw  the  long,  long  stretches  of 
prairie  and  the  great,  many  colored  walls  of  the  canyons 
— a  far  more  beautiful  sight  than  has  ever  been  pro- 
duced by  man — I  could  not  doubt  the  word  of  my  good 
mother  when  she  taught  me  that  all  things  were  created 
and  governed  by  a  wise  and  powerful  Being  calleH 
God,  and  as  her  guidance  kept  me  from  falling  when 
a  baby,  so  has  the  thought  of  her  goodness  and  kindness 
kept  me  from  wrong  since  I  had  to  be  my  own  guide. 
I  am  not  what  many  people  would  call  'respectable/ 
I  never  wore  a  boiled  shirt  in  my  life,  but,  Miss  Sun- 
shine, maybe  if  I  was  taken  from  the  wilds,  like  the 
ugly,  gnarled,  old  oak,  I  might  be  polished  and  made 
presentable  to  the  public !" 

"I  like  you  better  with  your  natural,  honest  manner, 
Mr.  Randolph." 

"Why  'Mr.  Randolph/  now?  Is  the  picture  I  have 
drawn  so  forbidding  ?  I  know  I  have  no  right  to  pre- 
sume that  you  could  care  for  an  unpolished,  ignorant 
man  like  me.  But  you  have  been  so  kind,  and  you 
remember,  you  told  me  once,  'Faint  heart  never 
won/  " 

"But  Jack,  we  were  not  speaking  of  me,  then." 

209 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

"Perhaps  not,  but  I  was  speaking  of  you  when  I 
said  if  a  feller  never  ventured  he  would  never  win." 

"You  said  it  was  a  girl  away  out  of  your  reach," 
she  said,  smiling  inwardly. 

He  looked  at  her  very  steadily  for  a  minute  and 
seeing  her  eyes  were  dancing  with  mischief,  started 
toward  her,  but  he  was  too  late,  for  she  was  on  her 
horse  calling  to  him  to  hurry  as  she  had  seen  a  coyote 
go  over  the  hill  in  front  of  them.  Just  as  he  caught  up 
to  her,  Charles  Leslie  and  the  hounds  came  into  sight 
and  he  asked  them  to  join  in  the  fun. 

"Sunshine,  what  made  you  dash  away  from  me  like 
that  ?"  he  asked,  when  an  opportunity  presented  itself. 

"Why  because  I  wanted  to  chase  the  coyote;"  but 
the  color  in  her  cheeks  and  the  persistent  way  she 
avoided  looking  at  him,  gave  him  a  feeling  of  encour- 
agement, and  a  picture  of  a  cozy  ranch  home  came  be- 
fore him — a  picture  of  a  home  that  beggars  de- 
scription— a  dream  that  must  be  realized,  for  life 
would  mean  nothing,  otherwise,  or  so  he  thought, 
and  to  gain  this  end,  facia,  non  verba — deeds,  not 
words — would  be  his  future  motto. 

The  dogs  were  getting  too  close  to  the  coyote  for 
his  comfort  and  he  tried  dodging.  He  wanted  to  keep 
close  to  Sunshine  for  she  was  riding  Prince  and  he 
was  noted  for  his  short  turns  when  following  any- 

210 


A  PICTURE    IN    THE    CLOUDS 

thing,  but  Jack  soon  realized  he  did  not  have  to 
trouble  himself,  for  Sunshine  sat  as  steady  as  though 
she  had  ridden  wiry  little  cow-ponies  all  her  life. 
She  was  very  anxious  that  the  hounds  should  catch  the 
coyote,  but  when  they  did  get  it,  she  made  him  shoot 
it  because  she  could  not  bear  to  see  the  dogs  torture  it. 
When  the  dogs  got  tired  of  tearing  and  biting  at  its 
lifeless  body,  Charles  Leslie  left  them  for  more  sport; 
and  entered  the  Buck  Creek  Hills  to  look  for  a  wolf, 
as  he  had  seen  tracks  of  one  going  up  the  creek  that 
morning. 

"Better  come  along,"  he  said,  as  he  rode  away. 

"No;  I  don't  think  I  will,  for  it  is  now  past  the 
time  I  told  Florence  I  would  be  back,  and  she  might 
worry,  but  Jack  can  go;  I  know  the  way  home  and 
Prince  is  a  very  reliable  horse." 

Charles  Leslie  understood  the  look  Jack  gave  him 
and  said,  "Not  on  your  life;  if  you  do  not  care  to 
go,  Jack  can't  go.  Do  you  think  I  want  to  be  rounded 
up  good  and  proper  when  I  get  home  ?  Do  you  realize 
what  my  wife  would  say  if  I  should  take  your  escort 
and  allow  you  to  ride  alone  over  these  wild,  forsaken 
prairies?"  And  with  a  stern  look  at  Sunshine  and  a 
wink  at  Jack,  he  rode  away,  laughing. 

They  went  along  in  silence   for  some  time,  Jack 

211 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

drinking  to  the  last  drop  the  cup  of  joy  held  out  to 
him  in  the  companionship  of  this  girl  whom  he  now 
realized  was  the  only  one  for  him,  in  all  the  world. 
How  he  envied  the  wind  as  it  blew  her  hair  across 
her  mouth  and  cheeks ! 

"What  are  you  thinking  of,  that  makes  you  so 
quiet,  Sunshine?"  he  asked. 

"I  was  wondering  what  were  beyond  those  beauti- 
ful, fleecy  clouds.  I  do  pity  the  people  in  the  close, 
dismal  cities,  who  know  nothing  of  the  wonders  pro- 
vided by  Nature,  especially  in  these  clear  stretches  of 
endless  prairie.  Oftentimes  I  have  watched  from  the 
early  evening,  when  the  sinking  sun  threw  its  many 
hues  into  the  grandest  blending  of  color  the  human 
eye  has  ever  seen,  and  human  skill  failed  to  produce, 
until  the  earth  was  covered  with  a  canopy  of  black, 
dotted  with  its  millions  of  electric  lights  and  you 
could  see  to  read  by  the  light  of  the  moon — God's  arc 
light  of  the  plains — did  you  ever  see  pictures  in  the 
clouds,  Jack?" 

"For  many  months  the  clouds  have  held  a  beautiful 
picture  for  me..  Every  day  when  I  am  riding,  no 
matter  how  the  weather,  I  can  always  find  my  pic- 
ture." 

"What  is  it  like?" 

"A  ranch  home ;  with  a  log  house — just  an  ordinary 

212 


A  PICTURE    IN    THE    CLOUDS 

log  house,  surrounded  by  cotton-wood  trees.     Inside 
it  is  clean  and  home-like,  with  a  large  fire-place." 

"But  Jack,  your  picture  must  be  an  unusual  one 
when  you  can  look  through  from  the  outside  and  see 
the  furnishings  on  the  inside  of  the  house." 

"This  sort  of  picture  is  unusual,"  he  said.  "But 
wait  till  I  am  through  with  my  description.  On  a 
rustic  porch  shaded  by  creeping  vines,  some  one  is 
sitting — some  one  I  love  very  much.  She  is  dressed 
in  light,  flimsy  stuff  that  looks  mighty  pretty  on  her. 
Now  I  see  a  man  riding  toward  the  house.  He  rides 
through  the  large  corral  to  the  barn  where  stands  a 
black  horse  that  whinnies  as  he  rides  up." 

"Prince!"  interrupted  Sunshine. 

"Yes  Prince,"  said  Jack,  "and  as  the  man  walks 
towards  the  house,  the  girl  in  the  hammock  runs  out 
to  meet  him,  and  he  forgets  how  tired  he  is,  for  he  is 
very  happy." 

"Now  Jack,  confess;  didn't  you  see  that  in  some 
moving  picture  show  ?" 

"How  can  you  make  so  light  of  it !  The  happiness 
of  my  future  life  depends  on  the  realization  of  that 
picture,"  he  said,  noticeably  hurt. 

"I  beg  your  pardon." 

"It  is  granted  if  you  will  look  up  and  try  and  see 
the  picture." 

"I  cannot  see  it,  Jack." 

213 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

"Look  again,  then  look  at  me."  He  had  dis- 
mounted and  was  standing  beside  her.  "Don't  you 
see  it?"  His  voice  was  hoarse  with  emotion.  "Perhaps 
I  am  selfish.  Does  a  picture  of  a  different  home  ap- 
pear to  you  ?  A  home  in  the  city  with  a  brown  stone 
front  and — wealth,  great  wealth  ?" 

"Jack!  I  thought  you  knew  me  better  than  that," 
she  answered. 

"Won't  you  try  and  see  it  then?"  he  pleaded. 

"If  you  will  get  on  your  horse,  I  will  talk  to  you," 
she  said,  evading  his  question. 

He  did  as  she  bade  him  and  stood  waiting.  Gather- 
ing her  reins  in  her  hand  she  looked  up  to  where  he 
had  tried  to  show  her  the  picture. 

"Jack !"  then  stopped  very  suddenly,  as  if  to  take  a 
breath,  "the  picture  you  have  tried  to  show  me,  is 
beautiful,  and  is  the  sort  of  home  I  want  when  I  do 
have  one." 

"Sunshine!" 

"I'm  not  through,  yet.  I  can  see  the  outside,  but 
my  eyes  are  not  as  good  as  yours.  I  can't  see  the  in- 
side from  here."  and  digging  Her  spurs  into  Prince 
she  dashed  away  leaving  him  stunned  for  a  minute  but 
with  joy.  When  he  reached  her  side  she  was  over  the 
hill  in  sight  of  the  ranch  and  they  could  see  Mrs. 
Leslie  standing  outside,  looking  intently  as  though  ex- 
pecting someone. 

214 


Don't  you  see  it?"  said  he,  in  a  voice  hoarse  with  emotion. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

A  REVERY. 

"Prince,  old  horse,  this  thing  can't  go  on,"  Jack 
confided  to  that  knowing  animal..  "If  that  little  girl 
don't  take  a  liken  to  this  here  same  cowpuncher,  why 
I'll  have  to  pack  my  horse  and  hunt  another  range — 
I  can't  go  on  in  this  way.  I  have  stood  all  kinds  of 
weather  and  gone  without  many  a  meal  an'  done  all 
kinds  of  hard  work,  but  I  felt  strong  after  it  beside 
what  I  feel  when  I  think  of  living  without  her.  I 
guess  I'm  hard  hit.  I  know  that's  what  the  boys 
would  say.  I  use  to  think  nothing  could  persuade  me 
to  turn  my  back  on  the  range  to  live  in  the  country  of 
the  suffocatin'  hills  and  forests,  but  Prince,  ol'  horse, 
I  never  know'd  what  love  was  then.  They  talk  about 
love  in  a  cottage  and  I  use  to  think  I  would  die  if  I 
had  to  live  in  a  cottage  and  have  only  the  hum  drum 
of  city  life,  but  now  I  understand  it  ain't  the  country 
nor  the  kind  of  a  building  you  live  in — it's  the  partner 
you  have!  If  you  have  the  mate  Nature  intended  you 

215 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

to  have,  it  don't  matter  what  kind  of  country  you 
have  to  live  in — if  she  is  satisfied  with  it  I  could  learn 
to  like  it." 

He  had  been  pouring  the  contents  of  his  heart  and 
mind  out  to  Prince,  for  he  was  no  exception  to  the 
rule  of  cowpunchers  who  say  that  "a  horse-brute  has 
more  sense  than  lots  o'  men  and  some  women  'cause 
they  never  tell  what  you  confide  to  them." 

"Prince,  you  ol'  fool  branch,  why  don't  you  kick  me 
or  bite  me  wrhen  I  insult  myself  afore  you?  I  have 
been  only  considerin'  my  own  pleasures  an  likin's. 
Mine — think  of  it!  Selfish,  mean  and  thoughtless!" 

After  a  little  quiet  thought,  he  started  forward  and, 
throwing  his  arms  around  Prince's  neck,  shook  like  a 
man  suffering  with  ague.  The  old  horse  rubbing  his 
nose  on  his  master's  shoulders,  seemed  as  though  he 
would  make  him  understand  how  he  sympathized  with 
him  in  trouble.  When  the  paroxysm  had  passed,  Jack 
straightened  himself  and  again  addressed  his  dumb 
friend : 

"Prince,  I  have  come  to  my  senses  at  last,  but  it's 
mighty  hard  to  face.  I  must  go  away ;  I  see  now  how 
I  forced  my  good-for-nothin'  self  wherever  she  was 
concerned,  but  my  eyes  are  opened  and  I  will  save 
her  from  herself.  I  will  go  away,  it  will  be  hard,  bit- 
ter hard — but  I  know  now  she  is  too  far  above  me, 

216 


A    REVERY 

and  a  log  cabin  and  a  common  cowboy  are  not  for 
such  as  her — she  is  not  meant  for  this  rough  life 
I  should  have  to  offer." 

Then,  in  an  aggrieved  tone:  "Why  did  you  come 
for  then  I  would  never  have  known  this  sorrow !  But 
it  has  made  me  a  better  man."  With  this  he  buried 
his  face  in  his  horse's  mane  and  when  he  raised  his 
head  again  he  was  strong  once  more  and  not  the 
broken  reed  of  a  few  minutes  before.  On  the  follow- 
ing day,  he  told  Mr.  Leslie  he  would  like  his  "  time," 
if  it  would  be  convenient,  as  he  wished  to  go  into  the 
western  part  of  the  state. 

"I  regret  very  much  that  you  feel  you  must  go; 
you  were  just  like  one  of  us.  Is  there  nothing  I  can 
do  that  will  cause  you  to  change  your  mind  ?" 

"No  sir;  you  have  been  mighty  kind  and  I  regret 
to  leave,  but  circumstances  that  I  cannot  explain  make 
my  stayin'  here  impossible." 

Mr.  Leslie,  a  little  suspicious  at  this  sudden  leave 
taking,  went  into  the  house  to  break  the  news  to  his 
wife  and  also  to  watch  the  effect  on  Sunshine. 

He  found  them  together  and  told  them  that  Jack 

< 

had  resigned  his  position. 

"Jack  going  away?"  said  Sunshine,  in  hurt  sur- 
prise. 

"Of  course  he  is  not,  Sunshine,"  Mrs  Leslie  replied. 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

"Charlie  is  trying  to  surprise  an  unconscious  confess- 
ion from  you,"  and  smiling,  she  continued  her  work. 

"You  are  mistaken,  Florence.  I  was  never  more 
sincere  in  my  life.  Jack  has  asked  me  to  let  him  go  as 
soon  as  convenient." 

"But  why  does  he  want  to  leave?"  asked  Mrs. 
Leslie,  innocently  enough.  Before  Charles  could  re- 
ply, the  object  of  discussion  stood  in  the  door.  He 
was  not  in  the  habit  of  beating  around  when  he  had 
anything  to  say,  so  stepping  inside,  remarked: 

"Miss  Sunshine  I  would  like  to  have  a  talk  with 
you — will  you  ride  with  me  to  the  pine  hills  ?" 

"Yes,"  she  answered  simply,  and  left  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Leslie,  to  dress  for  the  ride.  After  Sunshine  went  to 
her  room,  to  get  ready,  Mrs  Leslie  tapped  on  the  door 
and  a  choked  voice  bade  her  "come  in ;"  Sunshine  did 
not  look  up  but  a  give-away  tear  on  her  cheek  told  its 
tale,  whereupon  she  took  her  charge  in  her  arms, 
saying : 

"Sunshine,  have  you  and  Jack  quarreled?' 

"No  Florence,  we  parted  very  good  friends  yester- 
day. I  don't  know  what  to  make  of  him." 

"Let  us  hope  this  cloud  will  pass  away,  and  Sun- 
shine, if  it  is  for  foolish  scruples  about  his  unfitness 
for  you,  dear  little  girl,  I  know  of  no  other  I  would 
rather  trust  with  your  happiness ;  his  exterior  may  be 

ai8 


rA    REVERY 

a  little  rough,  but  he  is  a  manly  fellow  and  I  am  posi- 
tive he  loves  you  very  dearly." 

Sunshine  pulled  on  her  gauntlets  and  Florence 
kissed  her  and  told  her  to  make  up  the  little  differ- 
ences and  persuade  him  to  stay. 

When  the  two  riders  were  out  of  hearing  and  had 
reached  the  brakes,  they  sat  on  a  fallen  tree  beneath  a 
large  sighing  pine  for  several  minutes  before  he  found 
voice  to  speak,  then  he  rose  and  pacing  savagely  before 
her  he  talked  rapidly  and  with  feverish  haste. 

"Little  girl,  I  love  you  and  because  I  love  you  I 
must  leave  you." 

"Jack!"  came  from  her  trembling  lips.  This  sud- 
den outburst  fairly  took  her  breath  away. 

"Don't,  Sunshine ;  don't  stop  me  till  I'm  through  or 
I'll  get  weak  and  won't  be  strong  enough  to  do  the 
thing  I  know  now  is  my  duty.  I  love  you  with  a 
heart-whole  love  and  have  planned  over  and  over  how 
I  would  make  a  home  for  us  just  like  I  described  to 
you  the  other  day,  where  we  should  be  so  happy,  but 
it  never  entered  my  thoughtless  head  that  this  thing 
was  all  one-sided — that  I  was  simply  fixin'  for  my 
own  selfish,  comfortable  happiness.  I  can  see  the 
light  now  an'  I'm  goin'  away  'cause  I  ain't  strong 
enough  to  stay  here  without  that  picture  bein'  real- 

219 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

ized.  Your  position  is  in  a  fine  home  in  the  civilized 
world." 

She  started  toward  him,  but  he  stopped  her. 

"Don't,  if  you  got  any  pity,  don't  come  near  me.  I 
know  you  are  too  good  to  see  it  now,  but  I  am  only 
a  poor,  weak,  love-starved  man  an'  if  I  touched  you  I 
would  take  you  in  these  coarse,  rough  arms  an*  then, 
an'  then" — he  faltered,  "I  could  not  go." 

She  had  been  as  one  turned  to  stone.  Realizing,  at 
last,  that  he  intended  to  leave  her,  she  started  toward 
him  with  burning  cheeks. 

"Jack  Randolph,  my  Jack,  don't  you  see  it  would 
be  the  most  cruel  thing  you  could  do  to  leave  me  now, 
when  I  just  realized  how  I  — " 

"Hello  there !"  shouted  a  voice  beside  them.  They 
turned  to  see  Peddy.  "Say:  but  this  is  a  fine  shady 
place;  may  I  sit  down?" 

"Certainly,"  said  Jack,  who  was  the  first  to  find  his 
voice,  and  not  realizing  he  was  an  intruder,  Peddy 
sat  and  chatted  till  it  was  too  late  for  anything  else 
but  to  return  to  the  ranch. 

Sunshine  mounted  her  horse  without  a  word  and 
when  she  entered  the  house,  Florence  felt  as  though 
something  unpleasant  permeated  the  very  atmosphere 
all  about  them. 

"Oh  dearie,  what  is  the  matter?" 

220 


'A    REV.ERY 

"Florence,  he  says  it's  because  he  loves  me  and  he 
isn't  worthy  of  me — think  of  it — not  worthy  of  a  girl 
like  me !  He  does  not  love  me  or  he  could  not  go  and 
let  me  break  my  heart,"  and  she  wept  as  though  her 
heart  were  indeed  breaking. 

All  night  long  she  tossed,  and  in  the  morning  when 
she  had  eaten  a  scant  breakfast,  Florence  handed  her 
a  note:  "Don't  take  this  affair  too  hard,  dear,  for  if 
you  love  each  other,  it  will  come  out  all  right." 

But  in  the  seclusion  of  her  room,  Sunshine  read  it 
with  tear-blinded  eyes;  he  could  not  bid  her  good- 
bye in  person,  so  had  taken  this  method  as  being  bet- 
ter for  them  both ! 

When  he  had  spoken  to  her  of  his  intention  of 
going  away  to  save  her  from  herself,  he  felt  his  duty 
was  done,  and  he  must  get  away  and  so  told  Mr. 
Leslie.  "The  Boss"  regretted  Jack's  decision  very 
much,  however,  there  was  no  other  alternative  but  to 
submit. 

"Do  you  think  this  is  really  justice  to  Sunshine? 
She  loves  you,  boy." 

"If  I  did  not  think  so  I  would  not  be  leaving  her." 

"You  know  your  affairs  better  than  I,  but  think 
well,  for  this  may  ruin  the  happiness  of  you  both." 

Jack  caught  his  pack  horse,  and  after  bidding  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Leslie  good-bye,  and  leaving  the  note  for 

221 


THE'  FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

Sunshine,  rode  away.  When  he  left  the  ranch  he  had 
no  positive  destination  in  view,  only  that  he  would 
go  West  or  perhaps  North-west  into  the  Big  Horn 
Mountains,  if  the  Casper  country  was  not  change 
enough. 

After  two  lonely,  heart-sick  days,  a  haggard-faced, 
weary,  semblance  of  himself,  rode  into  Douglas,  which 
place  he  found  all  excitement,  caused  by  the  reported 
robbery  of  a  Union  Pacific  train  at  Wilcox.  Trailing 
robbers  seemed  the  thing  most  pleasing  to  him,  so  he 
set  about  trying  to  find  out  what  were  his  chances  for 
getting  into  the  posse  that  he  was  sure  would  be 
formed  to  trail  the  train  hold-ups. 

There  was  considerable  profane  language  indulged 
in  when  to  his  disgust,  he  found  they  had  left  twelve 
hours  before  he  arrived  in  the  little  city.  After  mak- 
ing inquiry  as  to  the  mode  of  operation,  etc.,  he  came 
to  the  conclusion  that  it  must  have  been  the  work  of 
the  Hole-in-the-Wall  gang,  and  with  this  idea  in 
mind,  started  out  once  more  intending  to  make  Glen- 
rock  and  then  Casper  if  necessary,  to  catch  some  sheriff 
or  posse  with  whom  he  might  take  up  the  dangerous 
trail. 

He  did  not  wish  to  be  recognized  by  any  of  his 
friends  or  acquaintances  for  they  would  ask  him 
questions  he  wouldn't  care  to  answer;  after  making 
arrangements  with  a  liveryman  to  look  out  for  his 

222 


'A   REVERY 

pack  horse  till  he  returned  or  sent  for  it,  he  secured  a 
plentiful  supply  of  cartridges  for  both  six-shooter  and 
rifle,  and  took  up  the  western  trail  once  more. 

Passing  through  Glenrock  and  Casper  he  heard 
wild  rumors  but  no  definite  information  regard- 
ing either  the  posses  or  the  robbers  only  that  all 
was  supposed  to  be  headed  for  the  Big  Horn  Moun- 
tains, and  thither  he  turned  his  horse.  He  had  been 
very  lucky  so  far  on  his  journey  in  striking  ranches 
or  camps  where  he  could  get  something  to  eat,  but  he 
had  eaten  nothing  since  morning,  when  he  had  taken 
some  breakfast  at  a  sheep  camp  where  the  herder  told 
him  he  had  seen  no  one  for  many  days. 

Recently,  his  usual  ravenous  appetite  seemed  to 
cause  him  very  little  trouble..  The  only  thing  he 
wished  for  now  was  action — anything  that  would 
arouse  his  mind  from  its  present  state. 

Slowly  the  daylight  faded,  and  the  golden  glow  of 
the  setting  sun  was  only  visible  now  and  then  be- 
tween the  fast  moving  stormy  looking  clouds. 

The  noise  made  by  themselves  and  the  occasional 
flutter  of  a  bird  from  a  sagebrush  that  grew  a  little 
too  close  to  the  trail  where  the  hoofs  of  the  horse 
beat  a  steady  "tat-tat-too"  in  the  long  swinging  lope 
known  so  well  to  the  western  cow-pony,  were  the  only 
sounds  that  broke  the  silence..  The  gloomy  stillness 
made  Jack  settle  a  little  lower  in  his  saddle,  and  with 

223 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6 

hands  resting  idly  on  the  saddle-horn  and  his  chin 
dropped  on  his  chest,  he  rode  along,  not  realizing  that 
the  sun  had  sunk  from  sight  and  the  black  cloak  of 
night  was  quickly  covering  all,  before  he  had  given 
one  thought  to  where  he  would  lay  his  weary  head. 

Prince  was  getting  tired  and  changed  his  gait  to  a 
dog-trot,  but  Jack  continued  dreaming — he  had  never 
craved  riches — never  yearned  for  power;  only  one 
thing  had  he  longed  for,  and  that  was  the  love  of  a 
woman — the  one  woman! 

"The  one  woman!"  he  said  aloud,  as  he  thought 
of  her  with  hands  outstretched  to  him  when  he  told 
her  he  was  going  away! 

Suddenly  something  startled  him  and  he  sat  very 
erect ;  what  if  she  had  really  learned  to  care  for  him, 
care  enough  to  overlook  all  his  shortcomings  and 
grieve  because  he  left?  But  he  would  not  deceive 
himself  into  such  a  belief — she  would  forget. 

"What  are  you  stopping  for,  you  fool  ?"  he  growled, 
as  he  gave  Prince  a  kick  forgetting  in  his  own  misery 
that  his  faithful  horse  would  not  have  done  so  without 
cause.  The  poor  brute  trembled  but  stood  resolute. 
Jack  began  to  realize  something  was  wrong.  He 
raised  high  in  his  stirrups  and  peered  into  the  dark- 
ness, and  as  he  did  so,  he  saw  a  flash  of  fire.  Prince 
plunged  forward,  his  rider  felt  himself  being  thrown 
into  space  and  knew  no  more. 

224 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

AN    ABSORBED    LISTENER. 

When  he  opened  his  eyes  in  wonder,  he  beheld 
strange  surroundings,  and  tried  to  rise  but  found  the 
effort  made  him  sick  and  faint.  Looking  about, 
everything  seemed  to  spin  round  and  round  compell- 
ing him  to  close  his  eyes. 

"Where  am  I  ?  How  did  I  come  to  be  laying  in  this 
strange  place?" 

There  was  a  slight  rustle  beside  him  and  strangely 
sweet  eyes  looked  into  his. 

"Drink  this,  please;  and  when  you  have  rested  a 
little  I  will  explain,"  were  the  first  words  he  heard. 

Then  raising  his  head  very  carefully,  he  perceived 
a  woman  holding  something  cool  to  his  lips  and  with 
feverish  thirst  he  drained  it.  Very  gently  he  felt  his 
head  being  lowered  to  the  pillow,  and  in  a  few  min- 
utes he  remembered  the  shot  and  the  fall. 

"Was  I  shot?" 

"No,  you  were  not  shot,  but  your  horse  was,  and 

225 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6. 

you  both  rolled  over  the  bank,  and  when  I  found  you, 
your  body  was  partly  under  his." 

"And  he  was  dead?" 

"Yes." 

"The  cursed  brute.  Why  did  he  spare  me?  Why 
didn't  he  finish  his  work  and  put  me  out  of  my 
misery?  Poor  Prince!"  His  voice  grew  husky  and  his 
eyes  moist.  His  companion  said  nothing  but  handed 
him  a  handkerchief  and  raising  his  head,  gave  him 
another  drink  of  the  cool,  quieting  liquid  from  the 
glass. 

"Please  don't  mind  what  I  say — I  loved  that  horse 
like  a  human." 

"I  can  sympathize  with  you,  for  the  only  true  friend 
and  companion  I  have  is  my  pony." 

Trying  to  turn  so  he  might  see  the  face  of  the 
speaker,  for  he  could  not  understand  why  so  gentle  a 
woman  should  be  alone  and  forsaken,  according  to  her 
own  testimony,  he  enquired  : 

"Will  you  please  tell  me  how  I  came  here?  I  re- 
member nothing  after  falling." 

"I  brought  you.  I  fear  I  added  to  your  injuries, 
but  it  had  to  be  done.  I  could  not  care  for  you  there ; 
so  with  the  help  of  my  pony  I  brought  you  here." 

"How  long  has  it  been  ?" 

"Two  days." 

226 


"ABSORBED    LISTENER 

"Two  days!    Then  I  am  too  late." 

"Too  late  for  what?" 

"To  continue  the  trail !" 

"Yes,  you  will  be  too  late  unless  some  of  them 
should  return  and  I  sincerely  hope  they  never  will,  for 
it  would  mean  death  to  you  if  you  were  not  able  to 
fight  a  hard  fight." 

"And  you?" 

"Perhaps,  but  that  does  not  matter.  Once  it  would 
have  seemed  terrible,  but  now — " 

He  heard  a  sob,  and  the  door  close  softly.  The 
stillness  was  broken  only  by  the  ticking  of  a  small 
clock.  What  could  it  mean?  How  did  she  come  to 
be  so  many  miles  away  from  friends — alone?  And 
who  could  the  man  be  who  had  shot  at  Prince  for  it 
was  evident  he  had  no  intention  to  kill — only  to  leave 
his  victim  afoot  by  killing  his  horse.  Wondering  at 
his  own  situation  and  pitying  this  girl  who  had  so 
kindly  cared  for  him,  he  fell  into  a  doze. 

Suddenly  he  was  awakened  by  some  one  shaking 
him  vigorously  and  begging  him  to  "try  very  hard  to 
get  up — put  this  on — quick !  oh  quick !  They  are 
coming!"  He  asked  no  questions — her  white  face  and 
gasping  breath  told  him  enough.  He  raised  himself 
unsteadily  to  his  feet  and  stumbling,  allowed  her  to 
lead  him  whither  she  would.  Every  step  was  torture 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6. 

— he  shut  his  teeth  and  forced  himself  to  be  dragged 
first  out  into  the  sunshine  and  then  into  darkness — 
musty,  earthy  blackness.  She  told  him  to  lie  down 
and  he  obeyed  with  what  assistance  she  could  give  him. 

"If  you  value  your  life  and  mine,  make  no  sound 
but  if  they  find  you,  use  this,  and  if  you  feel  faint, 
drink  some  of  this,"  giving  him  a  large  six-shooter 
and  a  flask  of  whiskey,  at  the  same  time.  Then,  be- 
fore he  could  answer,  she  was  gone. 

With  head  throbbing  and  a  pain  in  his  side  and 
ankle,  he  lay  there  martyr-like,  and  waited.  He  took 
some  of  the  whiskey,  then  tried  to  find  out  something 
of  his  musty  quarters — an  old  unused  dug-out  cellar 
which  was  windowless,  and  a  mildewed  sugan  nailed 
over  the  aperture  served  as  a  door,  canvas  sacks  were 
nailed  over  the  logs  that  formed  the  front  where  the 
mud  dobbing  had  fallen  out,  leaving  great  gaping 
holes.  A  pile  of  hay  in  a  corner  formed  his  bed,  a 
couple  of  old  army  blankets,  clean  but  much  worn, 
were  folded  on  a  box  beside  him.  Hearing  no  sound, 
he  drew  the  canvas  a  little  aside  and  his  eye  saw  what 
made  his  cheek  burn  and  his  determined  jaw  set 
hard.  An  old  tin  wash-bowl  on  a  box,  and  a  slightly 
soiled  towel,  a  small  piece  of  soap  and  clean  piece  of 
rag,  and  a  comb,  showed  where  a  woman  had  made 
her  morning  toilet,  while  many  tracks  of  her  shoe 

228 


"AN  'ABSORBED    LISTENER 

were  plainly  visible  between  the  box  and  the  pile  of 
hay  where  he  lay. 

He  groaned  as  he  realized  how  much  he  was  in- 
'debted  to  this  woman.  From  all  indications  she  had 
passed  the  nights  in  this  terrible  place  that  he  might 
have  the  only  bed  the  house  contained,  and  was  even 
now  risking  her  life  to  save  his — and  he,  a  stranger! 
He  was  deeply  touched  and  though  he  didn't  realize 
it  at  the  time,  this  one  little  incident  brought  her 
nearer  to  him  than  months  of  ordinary  friendship 
might  have  done — so  well  does  Fate  play  her  tricks 
on  us !  \yhy  did  these  thieves  and  murderers  come  to 
the  home  of  a  woman?  Jack  ground  his  teeth  and 
swore  an  oath  to  himself.  By  degrees  he  got  up  and 
peeped  through  the  cracks  to  see  the  approaching 
horsemen,  for  the  sound  of  horses'  hoofs  had  awak- 
ened him  from  his  reverie..  He  could  not  discern 
them  on  account  of  their  being  down  over  the  bank 
in  a  rude  corral  in  the  creek  bottom,  but  as  they 
neared  the  house,  he  recognized  the  voice  of  Zang. 

With  the  instinct  of  the  old  range  rider,  the  sound 
of  the  enemy's  voice  made  him  reach  for  his  gun,  then 
he  cursed  his  weakness  and  his  bad  luck.  What 
would  he  not  have  given  to  have  his  health  and 
strength !  Here  he  was,  a  rat  in  a  trap,  helpless.. 

The  time. when  they  entered  the  cabin  until  dark 

229 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6. 

seemed  endless.  With  pieces  of  the  blanket  he  had 
bandaged  his  ankle  and  bound  his  body  and  in  so  do- 
ing, increased  the  pain  already  felt  in  his  side,  but  like 
the  man  he  was,  he  bore  it  with  unflinching  nerve. 

As  night  advanced  he  found  that  a  sentry  had  been 
placed  on  watch.  Slowly  back  and  forth  he  walked 
from  the  top  of  the  knoll  above  the  dug-out  to  the 
bank  of  the  creek  in  front  of  the  cabin.  Waiting  till 
it  was  very  dark,  and  when  the  man  on  watch  went  to 
the  end  of  his  beat  behind  the  dug-out,  Jack  crept  out — 
every  move  a  pain.  Qose  by  the  cabin  some  canned 
goods  boxes  and  numerous  other  trash  had  been  piled ; 
behind  this  he  crawled  and  with  the  old  canvas  sacks 
from  the  cellar  thrown  over  him  in  case  the  moon 
should  come  out  from  behind  the  stormy  looking 
clouds,  he  waited — silently.  With  his  knife  he  dug  a 
little  of  the  dobbing  from  between  the  logs  while  the 
men  laughed  and  talked  inside,  drowning  any  unusual 
small  noise.  Soon  he  could  hear  everything,  but  was 
only  able  to  see  one  face — it  was  the  face  of  Harvey 
Slogan,  short,  dark,  with  piercing  eyes.  He  had  not 
yet  passed  into  middle  life  but  was  old  in  the  ways 
of  crime.  Cool  and  generous  with  his  friends,  cruel 
to  his  enemies,  and  hating  like  a  viper,  the  wealthy, 
especially  the  railroad  magnets  who,  he  told  his  pals 
were  bigger  thieves  than  any  one  of  them,  "for,  fellers, 

230 


'AN  ABSORBED    LISTENER 

they  steal  from  women  and  weak  men,  with  their 
watered  stocks  and  so-called  square  business,  while 
we  only  take  from  those  who  can  stand  it." 

It  had  been  he  who  had  planned  the  robbery  of  the 
Union  Pacific  train;  found  out  when  the  money  they 
must  have  to  pay  them  for  such  a  risky  piece  of  busi- 
ness, would  be  shipped,  and  notified  Billy  Mountain 
that  they  might  be  obliged  to  steal  some  horses  and 
"grub"  from  him  in  getting  back  to  the  Hole-in-the- 
Wall.  But  even  though  Harvey  Slogan  was  known 
through  the  entire  Middle- West  for  his  terrible  crimes 
of  robbery  and  murder,  Jack  could  not  but  admire  his 
cool  command  of  himself,  and  also  of  the  men  of  his 
gang. 

The  latter's  cramped  position  was  becoming  intoler- 
able, and  fearing  the  excruciating  pain  might  force  a 
groan  or  outcry,  he  watched  his  chance  and  crept  back 
to  his  pile  of  hay  in  the  cellar,  where  for  some  time 
his  suffering  took  all  other  thoughts  from  his  mind 
and  compelled  him  to  resort  again  to  the  contents 
of  the  flask. 


231 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

THE  ROBBERY   ON   LARAMIE   PLAINS. 

The  passengers  on  the  Union  Pacific  westbound  had 
been  sleeping  several  hours  when  one  of  the  train  men 
remarked  to  a  porter : 

"I  am  always  glad  when  we  get  out  of  these  plains, 
it  is  such  a  lonely  God-forsaken  place." 

Scarcely  had  he  finished  speaking  when  the  train 
began  slowing  down,  and  with  a  jar  that  nearly  threw 
them  off  their  feet,  came  to  a  stand. 

"Something  is  wrong,  Bill,"  said  the  Brakee. 

"What  you  'spose'n  gone  wrong?" 

Just  then  shots  were  heard  and  the  whizz  of  bullets 
passing  along  the  side  of  the  train  brought  the  con- 
ductor to  a  realization  of  what  was  happening  ahead. 
Passing  quickly  down  the  aisle  he  warned  each  one  if 
he  valued  his  life  to  keep  his  head  inside  the  train. 

Fainting  women  and  white  faced  men  had  scarcely 
caught  their  breaths  from  the  first  shock,  when  with- 
out warning,  a  terrific  explosion  shook  the  train  till 

232 


THE  ROBBERY  OF  LA  RAM  IE  PLAINS. 

the  frightened  passengers  expected  every  minute  to 
feel  the  car  falling  where  the  earth  had  opened  up  to 
swallow  it,  but  in  this  they  were  disappointed  for  the 
bandits  soon  disappeared  with  their  booty,  leaving  the 
passengers  and  train  men  to  recover  their  senses  as 
best  they  could. 

Before  the  excitement  had  died  away,  Harve,  the 
leader  of  his  gang  of  robbers,  began  giving  his  orders 
to  his  men  in  a  cool,  unconcerned  manner.. 

"Here  Munsey,  you  take  this  sack;  and  I'll  take 
the  other  in  case  we  should  get  separated.  Now  fel- 
lers don't  forget.  Always  keep  cool  and  don't  kill 
your  horses  the  first  day.  Remember  we  have  several 
hours'  advantage  of  our  trailers,  and  when  they  find 
our  track  so  plain  they  will  ride  hard  thinking  their 
task  an  easy  one,  but  we  need  this  junk  and  we  ain't 
goin'  to  make  them  a  present  of  it,  till  they  earn  it, 
anyway." 

They  had  ridden  along  in  silence  for  some  time 
when  Harve  told  them  to  ride  a  little  to  the  left  as  he 
could  see  some  horses.  When  they  reached  them  and 
discovered  they  ranged  in  that  vicinity,  they  scattered 
out  and  with  the  herd  of  horses  ahead,  did  a  little 
fancy  drill  to  obliterate  their  tracks;  then  driving 
them  toward  the  rough  country  they  knew  that  they 
had  given  themselves  several  hours'  advantage  over 

233 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6. 

their  trailers.  When  they  had  ridden  some  distance, 
they  again  looked  at  the  spoils,  and  dividing  as  nearly 
as  they  could,  hurriedly  disbanded,  three  going  south 
to  Robber's  Roost  and  three  going  north  to  the  Hole- 
in-the-Wall,  where  they  would  find  friends  who  were 
no  friends  to  a  sheriff  or  his  men. 

Beds  were  not  to  be  thought  of,  and  food  scarcely 
hoped  for,  for  many  hours,  as  they  realized  they  were 
nearing  the  danger  line.  The  three  going  north  went 
through  Cottonwood  Pass  and  the  head  of  La  Parele, 
straight  through  the  mountains,  till  they  got  on  the 
north  side,  intending  to  cross  the  Platte  River  near 
Glenrock,  but  found  it  bank  full  and  no  ford  or  bridge 
where  they  could  cross  nearer  than  Casper. 

"Fellers,"  said  Harve,  "we  have  got  to  let  our 
horses  rest  before  long  or  we  will  be  afoot.  We  won't 
get  any  fresh  horses  till  we  get  to  Billy  Mountain's 
'cause  I  told  Skinney  to  hold  our  horses  on  the  head 
of  Salt  Creek,  till  to-morrow  noon,  and  if  we  did  not 
come  by  that  time,  it  would  be  'cause  we  couldn't,  and 
we  can't  swing  that  way  now ;  it  is  too  far ;  we  would 
lose  good  time.  We  will  camp  in  that  draw  yonder ;  it 
will  be  out  of  sight,  and  so  near  the  railroad,  they  will 
not  be  looking  for  us  there,  in  case  they  are  trail- 
ing us." 

234 


THE  ROBBERY  OF  LARAMIE  PLAINS. 

"I  would  give  a  good  sum  for  a  bite  to  eat,"  said 
Zang. 

"Walk  down  round  the  bend  and  see  if  there  is  any 
water,"  suggested  Harve.  "We  can  fill  up  and  let  our 
horses  get  a  little  to  brace  them." 

Zang  soon  came  back  saying  he  had  found  a  water 
hole  and  men  and  horses  felt  much  better  after  drink- 
ing. They  had  not  slept  or  scarcely  stopped  for  about 
forty-five  hours  and  both  were  very  tired.  When 
darkness  had  drawn  its  black  curtain  over  the  earth, 
the  trio  again  took  up  the  trail  for  the  Hole-in-the- 
Wall,  the  hot  pot  of  crime  and  criminals. 

"Where  will  you  head  for,  Harve?"  asked  Cotton 
Top. 

"Right  through  the  town.  And  look  well  to  your 
guns.  Have  you  the  shot  gun  in  shape?" 

"Yes." 

"Then  put  it  out  of  sight  till  we  reach  the  bridge. 
Now  ride  straight  ahead  and  don't  rubber.  They 
won't  hardly  be  lookin'  for  us  in  town  playin'  tag  with 
the  sheriff's  coat  tails.  Don't  forget,  I'll  stay  with 
you,  and  if  one  of  you  plays  off,  I'll  kill  you  in  your 
tracks.  Stay  together  and  keep  cool." 

The  little  city  of  Casper  was  known  as  "the  tough- 
est town  on  the  North  Western  R.  R."  of  which  it 
was  the  termiuus,  and  midnight  found  nearly  double 

235 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6. 

the  amount  of  people  on  its  streets.  Music  came  float- 
ing from  many  saloons  and  the  familiar  yelling  of  the 
inevitable  cowpuncher  could  be  heard  all  over.  In 
short  this  was  the  noisy  hour  in  this  wild,  wide  open 
town.  Realizing  this,  the  bandit  trio  knew  that  a 
few  cowboys  more  or  less  would  be  scarcely  noticed 
on  streets  where  broncho  bucking  contests  by  lamp  or 
moonlight  were  not  an  unusual  thing. 

The  three  passed  through  the  town  in  safety  and 
were  nearing  the  bridge,  when  Harve  told  Cotton 
Top  to  have  the  shot  gun  ready,  "  'cause  they  might 
a  got  wind  of  our  coming  this  way,  and  have  the 
bridge  watched."  Cotton  Top  rode  a  little  in  advance 
of  Harve,  and  Zang  a  little  in  the  rear,  for  Harve  had 
the  treasures.  Their  horses'  hoofs  made  noise  enough 
to  arouse  all  the  guards,  had  there  been  any,  but  none 
came  into  sight.  When  they  had  crossed  the  bridge, 
Cotton  Top  threw  away  the  sawed  off  shot  gun  they 
had  taken  from  the  wrecked  express  car,  saying: 

"I  don't  guess  we  will  have  any  more  chance  for 
pot-shots,  and  our  rifles  will  be  handier  now." 

When  they  had  gone  about  three  miles  up  Casper 
Creek,  they  stopped  at  an  old  cabin,  and  after  watch- 
ing for  some  time,  decided  they  had  not  been  followed 
from  Casper  and  prepared  to  stay  for  the  night  tak- 
ing turns  at  standing  guard. 

236 


THE  ROBBERY  OF  L  ARAM  IE  PLAINS. 

At  daybreak  the  next  morning  Cotton  Top,  who 
was  taking  his  turn  on  guard,  saw  a  man  come  up 
over  the  bank  a  little  distance  from  the  cabin.  Seeing 
Cotton  Top  he  called  to  him  and  asked  him  if  those 
were  horses  over  yonder,  pointing  to  a  few  head  of 
stock  that  were  grazing  on  top  of  a  knoll  a  little  way 
off. 

"Corne  and  see  for  yourself,"  said  Cotton  Top.  He 
had  scarcely  finished  the  sentence  before  Havre  and 
Zang  were  in  the  doorway  beside  him,  rifle  in  hand, 
cocked  ready  for  any  emergency.  But  they  did  not 
need  them,  at  least  for  the  time  being,  for  the  man 
quickly  withdrew  and  disappeared. 

"Get  to  your  horses,  fellers,"  said  Harve.  "That 
damn  fool  will  go  back  to  Casper  and  squeal,  so  the 
sooner  we  make  ourselves  scarce  in  this  vicinity,  the 
better  for  us.  The  telegraph  wires  will  be  busy  this 
morning,  and  some  people  will  be  camping  on  our 
trail." 

When  they  were  nearing  the  head  of  Casper  Creek 
a  horseman  was  sighted  in  their  rear.  Zang  looked 
through  the  glasses  and  recognized  Skinney.  Each 
one  turned  his  horse  facing  the  newcomer  who 
dropped  down  as  though  picking  up  something  from 
the  ground,  and  after  straightening  up  in  his  saddle, 
repeated  the  manoeuver.  When  he  raised  up  the 

237 


THE    FOREMAN    'OF    THE    'JA6. 

second  time,  Harve  rode  a  little  to  one  side  and  'dis- 
mounted, and  walking  a  few  steps  from  his  horse  stood 
still,  then  came  back  and  mounted.  He  had  scarcely 
gotten  into  the  saddle  when  the  horseman  started 
toward  all  of  them,  riding  hard. 

"Hello  fellers !"  he  said,  as  he  rode  up.  "How  you 
comin'  ?" 

"Safe  so  far,  Skinney,"  answered  Harve.  "What's 
the  latest  in  Casper?" 

"When  I  found  you  wasn't  comin'  Salt  Creek  way 
I  pulled  into  Casper  to  learn  the  news.  I  was  at  the 
Wyoming  saloon  holding  a  hand  in  a  poker  game 
when  a  feller  said  if  they  could  locate  your  direction, 
a  posse  was  going  to  start  out  after  you  to-day  an' 
when  I  was  eatin'  my  breakfast  a  big  fat  duffer  come 
into  the  restaurant  and  said  that  damn  freighter  Hut- 
spith  came  in  town  and  give  your  trail  away  and  the 
whole  damnation  town  is  comin'  out  to  hunt  you,  an' 
the  Union  Pacific  special  car,  special  men,  and  special 
horses  is  comin'  on  a  special  train,  and  every  county 
sheriff  will  likely  come  out,  'cause  they  have  opened 
the  big  purse  for  two  thousand  on  every  one  of  your 
worthless  scalps.  So  be  makin'  your  getaway." 

"How  about  fresh  horses?" 

"Never  mind  the  horses;  we'll  get  fresh  ones  at 

238 


THE  ROBBERY  OF  L  ARAM  IE  PLAINS. 

Billy  Mountain's;  but  keep  us  posted  if  you  can  till 
we  get  a  little  nearer  safe  quarters." 

"All  right,  Harve.     So  long." 

The  bandits  had  passed  the  Jumbo  water  holes  and 
were  getting  into  the  Bad  Lands  when  night  began  to 
settle  and  they  found  they  had  been  seen.  A  few 
shots  were  fired  on  both  sides  but  no  one  hurt,  and 
darkness  ended  any  further  trouble  till  morning. 
When  the  first  streaks  of  day  appeared  in  the  East, 
the  robbers  divided  the  contents  of  the  bag  and  dis- 
carded what  they  did  not  want  for  they  knew  there 
was  a  possibility  of  their  being  obliged  to  split  up. 
While  they  were  still  talking  a  horse  looked  up  and 
nickered  and  they  were  forced  to  cover,  leaving  horses 
and  saddles.  Running,  crawling  and  ducking,  they 
managed  to  keep  out  of  sight  of  their  pursuers  until 
finding  a  small  blow-out  surrounded  by  sage-brush 
and  grease-wood;  as  they  crawled  into  it  they  saw 
that  their  trailers  had  struck  their  tracks,  and  were 
making  straight  for  their  hiding  place.  Nearer  and 
nearer  they  came  until  every  word  they  uttered  could 
be  plainly  distinguished,  when  suddenly  they  stopped 
and  heard  Joe  Hazen,  the  daring  sheriff  of  Converse 
County,  say, 

"Here  boys,  here  they  are,"  and  coming  toward 
them  threw  his  gun  to  his  shoulder,  but  before  he 

239 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6. 

could  pull  the  trigger  a  rifle  in  the  blow-out  rang,  and 
the  sheriff  fell,  got  up,  ran  a  short  distance,  then  fell 
again.  For  several  hours  they  lay  very  quiet  in  the 
hole.  Late  in  the  afternoon  Harve  looked  through  the 
bushes  and  saw  that  several  had  joined  the  little  band. 
Night  found  them  stiff  and  hungry  and  ready  to  take 
desperate  measures.  When  the  night  was  a  few 
hours  old,  they  crept  very  quietly  and  cautiously  to 
the  edge  of  the  wash-out  then  foot  by  foot  till  they 
came  close  to  a  picket.  They  could  not  tell  if  he  was 
asleep  or  playing  at  it ;  at  any  rate  he  made  no  foolish 
move.  After  they  passed  the  picket  they  made  better 
progress  and  on  reaching  Castle  Creek  they  took  to 
the  middle  of  the  stream  for  nearly  three  miles ;  then 
made  straight  for  Billy  Mountain's,  but  before  reach- 
ing there  they  passed  a  sheep  wagon  and  could  not 
resist  the  temptation  of  eating,  for  it  had  been  many 
long  hours  since  they  had  broken  their  fast. 

Before  leaving  the  sheep  camp  they  muffled  their 
feet  with  their  coats,  using  half  for  each  foot.  On 
reaching  the  mountain  place,  they  secured  horses  and 
went  straight  to  the  cabin  from  which  Jack  had  been 
assisted  by  the  mysterious  woman,  but  before  daylight, 
were  again  on  their  way  to  more  secure  quarters. 

For  thirty  days  sheriffs  and  their  posses  searched 
in  vain  for  the  bandits  as  that  particular  part  of 
country  held  none  who  would  assist  a  "law  forcer." 

240 


THE  ROBBERY  OF  LARAMIE  PLAINS. 

For  several  days  they  stayed  in  their  hiding  place, 
waiting  for  Skinney  who  would  bring  news  from  the 
outside  world.  They  did  not  know  how  many,  or  how 
brave  were  their  trailers,  then  the  Union  Pacific  fel- 
lows might  get  excited  and  ask  the  gentlemen  of 
leisure  from  the  fort,  out,  but  after  a  little  game  of 
dodge,  Skinney  arrived. 

"Fellers,  I  reckon  you  had  better  leave  this  here 
section  of  country  for  a  while.  Things  is  gettin'  sorter 
warmed,  plum  through  the  state."  He  then  produced 
a  paper  and  handing  it  to  Harve  he  said :  "Read  that 
little  piece  about  the  robbery." 

Harve  opened  the  paper  and  the  first  thing  that  met 
his  gaze  in  staring  headlines  in  BilliQ  Barlow's  Budget 
was: 

ROBBERY  AND  MURDER. 

BOLD  BANDITS  FLAG  AND  ROB  THE  UNION 
PACIFIC  FLYER.  THREE  OF  THE  THIEVES 
ARE  FINALLY  CORNERED  NORTH  OF  CAS- 
PER. SHERIFF  HAZEN,  OF  THIS  COUNTY, 
MORTALLY  WOUNDED  IN  A  SKIRMISH 
WITH  THE  ROBBERS. 

"Six  masked  men  held  up  the  Union  Pa- 
cific last  Friday  morning  at  a  side-track 
known  as  Wilcox,  just  west  of  the  Rock 

241 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6. 

Creek  station,  and  cutting  the  express  car 
off  ran  it  ahead  and  rifled  the  safe,  using 
dynamite  with  which  to  open  it.  The  car 
was  also  badly  wrecked.  It  is  understood 
that  the  robbers  secured  something  over 
$100,000  in  cash  and  jewelry,  although  the 
express  officials  report  the  loss  as  much 
less.  A  reward  of  $2,000  per  head  is  offer- 
ed for  the  bandits,  dead  or  alive.  A  special 
train  passed  west  on  Saturday  afternoon 
bearing  Jeff  Carr  and  a  posse  of  officers, 
who  left  the  railroad  at  Casper  and  set  out 
for  the  west,  and  on  Sunday  General  Man- 
ager Dickinson  and  Division  Superintend- 
ent Harris,  of  the  Union  Pacific,  passed 
West  in  a  private  car  and  have  been  at 
Casper  ever  since  directing  the  movements 
of  the  pursuing  forces. 

"Three  of  the  robbers  were  tracked  to  a 
point  on  the  old  Rock  Creek  stage  road 
lying  about  twenty  miles  south  of  Glen- 
rock,  and  on  Sunday  morning  the  thieves 
were  discovered  about  three  miles  from 
Casper.  Meanwhile,  two  different  parties 
of  officers  had  arrived  from  the  south,  and 
these,,  together  with  those  who  had  reached 

242 


THE  ROBBERY  OF  LARAMIE  PLAINS. 

Caspar  by  rail,  set  out  in  pursuit  of  the 
robbers  under  the  leadership  of  Sheriff  Joe 
Hazen,  of  this  County,  who  had  volun- 
teered his  services  and  had  joined  the  first 
party  enroute  to  Casper.  The  bandits  were 
sighted  and  shots  exchanged  Sunday  after- 
noon, but  without  result  other  than  the 
wounding  of  horses  belonging  to  the 
officers.  About  10  o'clock  Monday  morn- 
ing the  thieves  were  again  located  at  a 
point  about  sixty  miles  north  of  Casper, 
and  in  a  battle  which  ensued,  Sheriff  Hazen 
was  shot  through  the  body,  the  bullet  en- 
tering the  body  just  above  the  right  groin 
and  coming  out  at  the  back.  It  was  six 
o'clock  that  evening  before  a  wagon  could 
be  secured,  and  the  wounded  man  was 
brought  into  Casper  about  8  o'clock  Tues- 
day morning  and  brought  to  Douglas  by 
special  train,  Dr.  Rorabaugh  accompany- 
ing him.  Drs.  Wilson  and  Jesurum  were 
called  in,  who  pronounced  his  wound  a 
very  serious  one,  with  slight  hope  of  re- 
covery. He  sank  rapidly,  despite  the  ef- 
forts of  his  physicians  and  died  at  5.30  that 
evening.  The  wound  is  a  terrible  one— 

243 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6. 

the  bullet  with  which  it  was  inflicted  hav- 
ing been  of  the  'soft-nosed'  make,  and  tear- 
ing an  awful  hole  in  the  back  where  it 
made  its  exit. 

"Latest  reports  indicate  the  early  cap- 
ture of  the  robbers.  They  have  abandoned 
their  horses,  which  are  now  in  the  hands 
of  the  officers,  and  as  the  pursuing  force 
numbers  over  fifty  men,  it  is  believed  the 
thieves  cannot  get  away.  It  is  to  be  hoped 
that  they  will  require  coffins  rather  than 
handcuffs,  when  captured." 

"So  Joe  died  from  the  shot,  eh  Skinney?"  said 
Zang  as  he  reached  for  his  gun  and  on  it  cut  another 
notch. 

"I  think  fellers,  I  shall  join  the  moonshiners'  order 
in  the  mountains  of  old  Kentuck,"  said  their  leader 
after  sitting  for  some  time  in  a  brown  study.  "What 
for  you,  Cotton  Top?"  asked  Skinney. 

"I  am  rather  fascinated  with  the  dangerous  game 
of  'dodge'  and  I  think  I  will  play  it  a  little  longer," 
answered  the  man  with  the  fuzzy  white  hair. 

"I  tell  you  feller  citizens,  I  have  resolved  to  join  the 
range  riders  of  Arizona,  or  the  church,  as  I  promised 
the  little  beauty  on  the  JA6,"  said  Zang. 

244 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

HOME  AGAIN. 

Many  times  Sunshine  read  the  farewell  note  Jack 
had  left  her,  and  the  more  she  thought  about  it  the 
more  she  felt  that  if  he  loved  her  he  would  soon  re- 
turn. But  days  lengthened  into  weeks  and  $he  began 
to  wish  for  home. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Leslie  were  most  kind  and  consider- 
ate, but  the  desire  to  "chat  with  Daddy"  about  the 
troubles  and  joys  of  life,  as  they  had  often  done  be- 
fore, grew  on  her,  until  she  longed  to  turn  her  back 
on  the  prairie.  She  would  go  once  more  to  the  top  of 
the  great  rock  wall  where  Jack  had  so  nearly  given  up 
his  life  for  her,  and  decide  what  was  best  to  do.  She 
did  not  tell  Mrs.  Leslie  where  she  was  going,  only 
that  she  wished  to  take  a  ride. 

The  voices  of  the  prairie  called  to  her  as  her  horse 
jogged  along  the  south  trail,  and  on  reaching  the  top 
of  a  knoll  about  a  mile  from  the  ranch,  she  stopped 

245 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6. 

her  horse,  as  had  been  her  custom,  to  look  at  the  wild, 
beautiful  scene  before  her. 

The  Buck  Creek  hills  crowned  with  green,  state- 
ly pines,— old  Tim  Butte  like  a  spectral  ghost,  in  its 
chalky  whiteness,  looming  against  a  background  of 
blue  sky, — and  between  them  the  endless  stretches  of 
green  prairie. 

She  had  never  descended  from  this  little  elevation 
without  stopping  to  gaze  at  the  typical  bit  of  Wyom- 
ing scenery,  but  to-day  it  looked  wild  and  lonely. 
When  she  neared  the  edge  of  the  precipice,  she  dis- 
mounted, and  throwing  the  reins  over  the  horse's  head 
that  he  might  nibble  the  fresh  spring  grass,  she  lay  on 
the  ground  in  the  warm  sun  to  think  over  the  many 
things  that  had  transpired  since  she  knelt  on  that  same 
spot  and  held  Jack's  head  in  her  arms,  begging  him 
to  "speak  to  her." 

She  watched  the  flitting  clouds  as  they  came  and 
went.  Each  one  looked  more  billowy  than  the  others. 
Some  seemed  to  barely  escape  the  tops  of  the  strag- 
gling cotton-wood  trees  along  the  dry  creek  on  the 
lowlands,  while  others  looking  much  larger  and  heav- 
ier, would  soar  far  above  the  pines  on  the  highest 
point  of  the  Buck  Creek  hills.  Then  came  one — 
large  and  white  and  beautiful,  just  like  the  one  that 
had  held  the  picture  of  the  future  ranch  home  Jack 

246 


HOME    AGAIN. 

had  tried  to  show  her.  He  had  described  it  to  her 
too — a  log  house,  a  rustic  porch  and  some  clinging 
vines — a  girl  coming  to  meet  him,  and  happiness — oh 
such  happiness !  But  what  did  that  mean  ?  For  as  she 
looked,  a  great  black  cloud  floated  into  view  and  com- 
pletely covered  the  white  one.  She  caught  her  breath, 
and  shading  her  eyes  with  her  hand,  looked  long  and 
earnestly ;  it  had  made  the  fleecy  one  invisible. 

She  was  of  a  somewhat  superstitious  nature,  and 
pressing  her  hands  to  her  eyes  choked  back  a  sob.  She 
would  go  home — home!  And  mounting  her  horse, 
she  started  for  the  Leslie's  fully  determined  to  leave 
for  her  city  as  soon  as  it  would  be  feasible. 


Never  had  home  looked  so  cheerful  and  inviting. 
Her  father  met  her  at  the  station,  and  after  kissing  her, 
held  her  off  at  arm's  length  and  looked  steadily  into 
her  eyes.  It  was  good  to  have  a  father — and  such  a 
father!  And  it  was  good  to  be  home!  The  change 
from  the  quiet,  dreamy  life  of  the  prairie  to  the  bustle 
and  turmoil  of  the  city,  the  little  duties  and  cares 
which  she  had  taken  up  once  more,  and  above  all  the 
quiet  sympathy  of  "Daddy,"  were  beginning  to  dull 
the  sharp  edge  of  her  sorrow. 

As  the  weeks  rolled  by,  she  took  more  interest  in 

247 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6. 

the  wonderful  works  of  man  just  as  she  had  marveled 
and  admired  the  unsurpassable  creations  of  Nature  in 
the  untamed  West. 

Her  father  noticed  the  change  in  her.  She  had  left 
him  a  frolicking,  light-hearted  girl — happy,  laughing, 
merry  "Sunshine."  He  had  given  her  that  name  be- 
cause to  him  it  seemed  the  most  appropriate  one  for 
her.  He  loved  his  other  children,  but  she  had  crept 
a  little  closer  to  his  heart — she  loved  everything 
that  he  loved,  so  they  had  many  things  in  common, 
and  perhaps,  too,  it  was  because  she  was  so  like  her 
mother  to  whom  he  was  devoted.  She  was  no  longer 
the  little  girl  who  had  longed  to  go  back  to  the  prairie 
— she  was  a  woman,  sweet  and  cheerful  as  ever,  but 
wiser  and  more  thoughtful. 

The  occasional  letters  from  the  West  gave  her  no 
information  as  to  Jack's  whereabouts.  The  Leslies 
were  going  to  New  York  for  the  Winter,  and  the  pa- 
per had  given  an  account  of  the  marriage  of  Tracy  Petz 
but  not  a  word  about  Jack,  from  anywhere.  She  was 
wondering  about  it  when  her  father  came  home,  ac- 
companied by  a  tall  handsome  stranger,  whom  he  in- 
troduced as  Mr.  Gould.  After  a  few  commonplace  re- 
marks she  left  them  to  retire  to  her  room  and  read  the 
evening  papers  as  was  her  custom. 

She  sat  before  the  window  looking  out  over  the 

248 


HOME    'AGAIN. 

great  spreading  trees,  preparing  for  whatever  news 
the  papers  might  contain  for  her.  Among  them  was 
one  from  the  West,  and  slowly  opening  it,  she  read 
in  the  locals : 

"Jack  Randolph,  formerly  the  trusty  foreman  of  the 
JA6,  has  purchased  a  half  interest  in  the  OIO 
ranch.  This  is  one  of  the  largest  ranches  in  this  part 
of  the  country.  Mr.  Randolph  will  be  manager — 
success  to  you,  Jack !" 

To  Sunshine  "Jack"  was  Mr.  Randolph  now;  she 
felt  as  she  had  never  felt  before.  Perhaps  it  was  best. 
They  were  not  for  each  other,  and  quietly  folding  the 
paper,  she  went  down  to  join  her  father  and  his  guest. 


249 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

TRAILING  THE   HORSETHIEF. 

"Is  he  dead?"  asked  Peddy,  speaking  to  no  one  in 
particular,  and  leaning-  over  the  man  on  the  bed  in  the 
bunk-house.  They  had  just  poured  some  whiskey 
down  his  throat,  and  his  eyelids  trembled  and  fluttered 
a  little,  then  he  opened  them  and  asked  three  ques- 
tions in  one  breath;  it  was  really  the  first  breath  he 
had  taken  as  far  as  the  others  could  see,  for  nearly 
half  an  hour. 

"Who  am  I?    Where  am  I,  and  what  am  I  doing?" 

Before  any  one  could  answer  the  man  on  the  bed  sat 
looking  around  and  licking  his  lips. 

"What  in  hell  am  I  doing  here  ?  I  smell  something, 
fellers,"  he  said. 

"Just  you  lay  down  and  I  will  answer  a  few  of  your 
questions,"  said  Peddy.  "First  you  are  Buck  Saffell, 
broncho  buster  an'  tough  man.  Second :  You  are  in 
the  bunk  house  on  the  JA6  ranch.  Third:  You  are 
layingjon  a  bed  where  we  put  you  for  dead.  And 

250 


TRAILING    THE    HORSE    THIEF. 

fourth  and  last :  We  brought  you  in  here  after  you  had 
been  kicked  by  a  horse.  He  lammed  you  right  over 
the  heart  and  knocked  you  out." 

"What  was  that  'er  truck  you  give  me?" 

"Why  it  was  a  little  whiskey." 

"You  got  any  more,  Peddy?" 

"Yes,  about  a  pint." 

"Then  please,  fellers,  take  me  out  an'  let  him  kick 
me  again." 

Peddy  laughed  and  poured  him  out  a  liberal  drink 
in  a  tin  cup. 

"Here's  to  your  little  school  marm!" 

"She  ain't  mine  yet,  Buck." 

"Give  me  another  swig  to  your  luck  a  winnin*  her, 
Boss." 

"Not  now,  Buck." 

"All  right,  but  say,  did  you  all  find  them  saddle 
horses  ?" 

"No!  We  have  hunted  every  place  there  would  be 
any  chance  for  them  to  run,  but  can  find  no  trace  of 
them." 

"Then  I  think  you  better  go  to  Casper  and  find 
out  if  there  wan't  any  JA6  horses  in  them  they  took 
from  Tom  when  they  pulled  him." 

"Has  that  whiskey  crazed  you  ?" 

"Naw !  two  little  stingy  smells  at  that  dam'd  stingy 

251 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6. 

bottle,  hasn't  crazed  me.  No  such  a  damn  thing.  I 
am  talking  sense.  You  fellows  must  a  come  just  as 
I  got  kicked?" 

"Yes.    We  rode  up  from  the  Creek  just  as  you  fell." 

"Why  I  was  waitin'  all  mornin'  for  you  fellers  to 
come  back, — I  wanted  to  tell  you  'bout  it — that's  how 
I  come  to  be  foolin*  away  time  monkeyin'  with  that 
'er  broncho." 

"Well,  now  that  we  are  here,  tell  us  about  it,"  said 
Peddy,  "and  shut  up  your  rattlin'  an'  talk  business." 

"You  go  to  hell!" 

"I'll  go  anywhere,  if  you'll  get  a  hurry  started  and 
tell  us  about  Tom." 

"Well  fellers,  it's  this  way.  Old  Maggots,  an*  old 
sheep  herder  over  on  the  divide,  says  to  me  as  I  rode 
up:  'Say!  ain't  you  one  of  the  JA6  men?'  'Yep,' 
says  I.  'Didn't  they  have  a  rider  or  bronch  twister  by 
the  name  of  Tom  O'Day?'  'Yep!'  says  I.  'Well  he's 
got  hisself  in  trouble.' 

"'What  kind  o'  trouble,  ol'  carcus  worm?'  says  I. 
'Horse  stealin','  says  he. 

"  'How  did  you  decide  that?'  says  I. 

"  'A  feller  from  Hat  Creek  come  along  here  yester- 
day, an'  he  had  some  bran'  new  newspapers,  an'  while 
he  was  eatin'  his  dinner  I  cooked  for  him,  he  let  me 
read  'em,  an'  it  told  about  it  in  there  how  a  Casper 
sheriff  caught  him.' 

252  -.-' 


TRAILING    THE    HORSE    THIEF. 

"I  always  did  know  Tom  had  a  weakness  that  way 
ever  since  a  sheep-man  at  Casper  told  me  he  bought 
a  horse  from  him,  and  when  he  asked  him  for  a  bill 
of  sale,  he  said :  'Aw  man ;  what  are  you  talkin'  about  ? 
I  hain't  got  no  bill  of  sale.  I  stole  that  horse  in  North 
Dakota  a  long  time  ago  for  a  pack  horse.  I  was  short 
a  horse  an'  they  was  rather  plenty  up  there,  so  I  helped 
myself,  an'  if  anybody  wants  to  know  where  you  got 
him,  tell  'em  he  is  one  of  Tom  O'Day's  raisin'.'  " 

"How  about  the  mail?"  asked  Peddy.  "Isn't  it  to- 
morrow Brownie  was  to  be  back  from  town?" 

"Yep!" 

"Then  if  this  story  about  Tom  being  in  trouble  is 
true,  we  shall  see  something  about  it  in  the  papers." 

Brownie  did  not  reach  the  ranch  till  late,  and  be- 
fore he  had  his  horse  unhitched  he  went  to  the  house 
to  tell  Mr.  Leslie  he  had  heard  Tom  had  got  into 
trouble  and  was  in  jail  at  Casper.  Mr.  Leslie  took  a 
fresh  horse  and  went  to  town.  There  he  found  that 
the  reports  were  too  true.  A  man  by  the  name  of 
Johnson  had  missed  some  horses  and  someone  had 
whispered  it  was  the  work  of  Tom  O'Day.  So  the  big 
warrant  was  sworn  out  and  given  to  the  Casper  sheriff 
who  with  many  a  long  drawn  sigh  and  much  mis- 
giving, started  after  the  happy-go-lucky,  cool  Tom. 

About  45  miles  from  Casper,  the  sheriff  found  what 

253 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6. 

he  was  sure  was  the  trail  of  Tom  and  the  stolen 
horses.  It  was  the  i8th  of  November.  On  the  following 
day  he  caught  sight  of  Tom  in  the  distance.  Now  he 
felt  he  must  do  double  watching.  He  must  keep  Tom 
in  sight,  but  must  keep  out  of  sight  of  Tom,  for  he 
knew  his  chance  would  be  slim  in  an  even  break.  If 
he  would  capture,  and  not  be  captured,  he  must  play 
a  cinch  game.  For  the  man  he  trailed  had  nerves  like 
steel.  On  and  on  went  the  wearisome  trail,  while 
colder  grew  the  weather.  In  the  daytime  it  was  a 
long,  weary  wait,  while  night  found  Tom,  horses,  and 
the  man  hunter  again  on  the  long  dim  path  leading 
to  the  mountains.  Then  when  daylight  came  the 
horses  were  allowed  to  rest  and  pick  through  the  snow 
for  a  little  feed  till  darkness  made  it  safer  for  travel- 
ing. 

On  and  on  again  they  went,  one  hiding  from  the 
outside  world  that  does  not  consider  the  fearful  temp- 
tations the  open  ranges  of  the  great  grazing  country 
in  the  middle  West  hold  forth,  the  other  hiding  from 
the  one  who  had  given  in  to  temptation  and  now 
sought  the  luring  trails  of  the  mountains  where  he 
could  hide  the  stolen  horses  until  they  could  be  turned 
into  cash.  For  it  takes  cash  to  be  a  "sport"  a  "good 
fellow"  even  in  the  little  towns  on  the  great  plains  far 
away  from  the  footlights.  Many  times,  thousands 

254 


TRAILING    THE    HORSE    THIEF. 

have  been  thrown  away  on  the  gambling  tables,  and  in 
dance  halls,  by  a  good  mother's  wayward  son,  and 
without  a  sigh  of  regret,  for  had  he  not  his  pony 
staked  just  outside  the  town,  and  a  ring  in  his  pocket, 
that  would  put  its  brand  on  some  of  the  thousands  of 
stock  on  the  range  when  heated  in  a  little  sage  brush 
fire  ?  Then  there  was  the  trail  into  the  mountains  and 
through  the  mountains  into  other  states,  and  even 
Canada,  where  they  could  be  sold  for  cash. 

Here  was  the  same  old  story.  Sister,  mother,  all 
that  was  best  and  good,  forgotten  in  sight  of  the 
beckoning  hand  that  points  to  wealth  and  comfort  just 
at  the  other  end  of  the  path  of  danger. 

The  stars  were  peeping  through  the  dark,  swiftly 
floating  clouds  when  Tom  left  his  horses  and  went 
into  a  cabin,  after  tying  his  saddle  horse  in  a  small 
corral  without  removing  saddle  or  bridle.  Soon  a 
light  was  seen  through  the  window  and  the  man  trail- 
er crept  closer  till  he  could  watch  if  Tom  would  come 
out  to  drive  the  horses  still  further,  but  he  did  not 
leave  the  cabin  till  morning.  Then  he  came  out  and 
walked  toward  the  corral. 

"Throw  up  your  hands !"  called  a  voice  just  a  few 
feet  away. 

Tom  started  for  his  guns  with  both  hands. 

255 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6. 

"Throw  up  your  hands,  and  damn  quick!"  yelle3 
the  voice  again,  and  this  time  Tom  obeyed. 

The  sheriff  had  brought  his  deputy  with  him  for  he 
could  not  have  thought  of  trailing  O'Day  alone  into 
a  country  where  an  officer  is  friendless. 

"Take  his  guns!"  the  man  trailer  told  his  helper, 
and  Tom  was  obliged  to  part  with  his  best  friends  al- 
though they  were  useless  to  him  in  this  case. 

That  day  they  went  to  Deranch  and  stayed  over 
night;  the  sheriff  sent  a  man  with  the  stolen  horses 
to  Lost  Cabin  where  they  were  again  stolen  by  those 
who  were  no  friend  to  a  sheriff.  Later  nineteen  head 
were  recovered  but  the  rest  of  the  bunch  were  never 
seen. 

The  second  day  was  one  that  would  long  be  remem- 
bered by  Tom  and  his  captor.  The  sheriff  would  not 
take  the  through  trail  to  Casper  as  he  feared  Tom's 
friends  would  relieve  him  of  his  prisoner,  so  he  took 
him  through  the  pathless  wastes  of  the  Bad  Lands. 
Their  suffering  was  intense  as  was  that  of  their  poor, 
hard  ridden  horses,  stumbling  and  slipping  in  the  deep 
snow  for  the  seventy-five  miles  to  Johnson's  ranch  on 
Casper  Creek — then  the  next  day  into  Casper. 

A  few  days  after  the  trial  of  the  horse  thief  began, 
the  sheriff  was  taking  his  prisoner  to  the  court  room 
and  two  or  three  feet  in  front  of  them  a  wealthy  stock- 

256 


TRAILING    THE    HORSE    THIEF. 

man  was  giving  his  companion  his  opinion  without 
looking  to  see  who  might  overhear  him. 

"It  is  an  outrage  to  our  state  the  way  this  trial  is 
being  conducted.  Why  soon  we  won't  be  able  to  have 
any  stock  on  the  open  range  at  all.  These  low-down 
thieves  are  stealing  us  blind.  They  should  make  an 
example  of  one  of  them  and  hang  him  to  the  nearest 
tree.  I  would  be  in  favor  of  taking  the  law  in  our  own 
hands  and — " 

"And  if  they  had  done  that  thing,  Mr.  Rich-man," 
interrupted  a  low  voice  beside  him,  "your  damned 
carcass  would  have  fed  the  buzzards  several  years  ago. 
I  hain't  always  lived  in  the  Big  Horn  mountains,  an' 
I  know  a  big  outfit  that  would  had  more  beef  to  turn 
off  if  the -thieves  in  their  outfit  had  been  strung  up  to 
a  tree  just  like  you  said.  Justice  should  only  be  dealt 
out  by  a  man  that  is  clean,  not  dirty  scums  of  the 
earth  like  a  man  I  know  who  use  to  boss  a  outfit,  be- 
tween here  an'  the  Canada  line.  Don't  you  come  into 
no  court  room  to  taunt  me  with  your  rich  clothes  an* 
your  cowardly  eye,  'cause  I  got  a  few  friends  left  in 
this  here  vicinity  even  if  my  hands  are  useless,"  and 
with  white  face  and  set  teeth,  he  stepped  up  to  where 
the  others  stood  not  caring  to  listen  to  a  conversation 
that  was  not  meant  for  them. 

"I  am  ready  to  go  on  now,"  said  Tom.     But  the 

257 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6. 

man  he  had  formerly  addressed  suddenly  felt  ill,  and 
the  next  day  could  not  be  found.  Since  then,  Casper 
has  apparently  lost  all  attractions  for  a  wealthy  man 
like  him. 

A  whole  month  the  trial  dragged,  when  finally  a 
third  Jury  convicted  Tom  O'Day,  the  horse-thief  of 
the  Hole-in-the-Wall — and  the  judge  gave  him  six 
years  in  the  state  penitentiary.  Six  years  is  a  long 
time  to  a  man  who  has  lived  much  in  the  open  air, 
and  a  six  by  eight  foot  cell  a  cramped  abiding  place 
when  one  has  covered  miles  in  his  daily  exercise.  But 
men  of  that  stamp  do  not  complain,  they  play  a  big 
game  and  if  they  lose  they  bear  it  in  silence. 


258 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

TWO   CONFESSIONS. 

Jack,  groaning  in  his  misery  of  mind  and  body,  did 
not  hear  the  robbers  when  they  left  for  their  retreat, 
consequently,  when  he  heard  someone  coming  into  the 
dugout,  he  quickly  covered  the  entrance  with  his  gun, 
but  as  quickly  lowered  it,  for  the  intruder  was  his 
erstwhile  friend,  and  not  seeming  to  notice  the  gun 
she  handed  him  a  cup  of  cold  water. 

"I  see  you  have  suffered  much,"  she  said.  "I  wish 
you  would  try  to  walk  to  the  cabin ;  I  will  assist  you ; 
this  place  is  terrible." 

"Is  it  any  more  terrible  for  me  than  it  is  for  you  ?" 
Jack  asked,  pointing  to  the  crude  toilet  articles  on  the 
box. 

"I  am  well, — you  are  far  from  it,  and  I  am  afraid 
never  will  be,  without  the  aid  of  a  physician." 

"Have  they  gone  far?" 

"They  will  not  return.  I  will  go  to  town  and  tele- 
grapn  for  Dr.  Foureyes." 

"Do  you  know  that  he  will  come  out  here  now?'* 

259 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6. 

"Yes — only  the  world  must  not  know.  It  would  not 
do  for  him  to  let  his  patients  hear  he  came  even  as  a 
physician,  to  men  such  as  live  in  the  Hole-in-the- 
Wall." 

When  she  had  finished  speaking,  for  some  reason 
which  he  did  not  understand  at  the  time,  her  dark 
eyes  seemed  to  almost  penetrate  his,  and  turning  sud- 
denly on  her  heel,  she  left  him. 

He  could  not  help  but  realize  she  had  placed  her 
own  life  in  jeopardy  to  save  him!  He  was  not  left 
with  his  thoughts  very  long  for  in  a  little  while  she 
was  again  at  his  side. 

"Come,"  she  said,  "I  have  made  things  as  comfort- 
able as  possible  for  you,  so  you  can  manage  till  I  re- 
turn with  the  Doctor." 

She  did  not  look  at  him  this  time,  fearing  she  could 
not  hide  that  which  her  pride  forbade  his  knowing. 

"Probably  you  will  blame  me,  but  I  felt  I  must 
know,  even  if  I  was  powerless  to  act,  so  I  crawled 
down  there  before,  (pointing  to  the  cabin)  and 
through  a  hole  I  made  in  the  dobbing,  I  saw  the  face 
of  the  leader." 

"I  guessed  something  of  that  sort.  You  could  not 
see  the  others?" 

"No.  But  the  voice  of  one  is  very  familiar  to  me ; 
he  is  my  worst  enemy,  and  once  would  have  killed  me, 

260 


TWO    CONFESSIONS. 

had  not  a  girl  interposed ;  she  loved  my  pal,  and  they 
were  engaged,  but  he's  gone  over  the  Divide ;  he  was 
killed  in  a  stampede.  He  was  a  fine  fellow !"  reminis- 
cently. 

When  he  had  finished,  he  stood  up  and  started  for 
the  cabin.  With  every  step  he  clenched  his  hands 
tighter,  and  his  mouth  became  firmer.  As  the  woman 
saw  this  her  face  grew  white  and  tense. 

Entering  the  cabin,  she  motioned  to  him  to  lie 
down ;  he  did  so,  closing  his  eyes,  while  his  chest  rose 
and  fell  like  a  great  bellows,  caused  by  the  suffering 
he  was  enduring.  From  a  little  shelf  she  took  a  box 
containing  some  tiny  pills,  and  giving  him  two,  said : 

"They  will  not  hurt  you,  only  make  you  a  little  more 
quiet.  I  took  one  last  night  so  I  could  face  those 
men." 

As  she  looked  at  him,  her  eyes  were  lustrous,  and 
her  lips  parted,  showing  a  set  of  perfect  white  teeth, 
while  she  leaned  far  forward,  eagerly  listening  for  one 
word — something  that  would  mean  a  little  more  than 
friendship  or  mere  gratitude,  for  this  man  whom  she 
had  nursed  and  held  back  from  the  grave  by  her  cun- 
ning and  bravery,  had  already  begun  to  fill  a  void  in 
her  life  which  for  many  a  long  day  had  been  neces- 
sarily present. 

"I  think  it's  time  you  knew  something  of  me,"  he 

261 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6. 

said.  "My  name  is  Jack  Randolph.  Before  I  came  to 
these  parts,  I  was  the  Foreman  of  the  JA6.  I  left 
there  because  I  loved  a  girl —  the  first  one  in  my  life," 
and  with  a  faraway  expression,  he  told  her  what  had 
passed  between  himself  and  Sunshine.  When  he  had 
finished,  she  turned  to  him  naively : 

"It  seems  as  though  a  great  love  should  be  the  most 
vital  thing  in  our  lives — whether  it  be  that  of  an  hon- 
est man,  a  mother's,  father's  or  any  kind  whatsoever. 
You  see  I  have  no  mother  or  father,  but  am  an  orphan. 
My  name  is  Vivian  Rutherford.  My  father,  a  civil  en- 
gineer, was  killed  in  an  accident  when  I  was  an  in- 
fant; he  was  of  English  and  German  parentage,  and 
my  mother  was  a  Spanish  American.  They  were  very 
happy;  so  happy  that  her  grief  for  him  killed  her, 
leaving  me  alone  in  the  world.  An  old  schoolmate  of 
my  mothers  adopted  me  and  brought  me  safely  to 
womanhood.  Worry  for  her  only  son,  a  wayward, 
restless,  intemperate  fellow,  was  the  cause  of  her  hav- 
ing consumption,  and  I  buried  my  second  mother.  My 
foster  father,  a  wealthy  manufacturer,  died  while  I 
was  in  school,  disinheriting  and  disowning  his  son. 

"When  I  learned  that  the  boy  was  cut  off  without 
a  dollar,  and  that  I  was  to  get  everything  at  the  death 
of  my  foster  mother,  I  was  very  angry,  but  gained  the 
consent  of  the  mother  to  deed  all  to  him,  when  I 

262 


'You  must  leave  here  or  I  shall  not  go,"  said  Jack. 


TWO    CONFESSIONS. 

should  come  into  possession  of  the  estate.  Before  she 
passed  away  I  promised  her  to  spend  ten  years  of  my 
life  trying  to  find  and  reform  him.  I  have  spent  two 
years  of  that  time  already,  and  have  done  nothing. 
For  eighteen  months  I  searched,  and  for  six  I  have 
begged  and  pleaded,  but  with  no  result.  You  wonder 
why  I  stay  here  among  so  much  crime  and  misery! 
I  will  tell  you : 

"I  supplanted  him  in  his  father's  affections.  I  did 
not  realize  it  till  it  was  too  late.  I  cannot  make  up 
that  irreparable  loss,  but  I  will  keep  my  promise  to 
his  dead  mother.  I  will  stay  and  do  my  best." 

"He  was  not  with  them  last  night?"  asked  Jack. 

"No ;  but  he  is  likely  scouting  for  them." 

"And  they— what  do  they  think  about  it?" 

"Harve  advised  him  to  leave  and  go  back  to  the 
old  home  with  me  and  'live  straight.'  " 

"No — they  never  leave  it  till  it  is  too  late.  It  was 
he  who  shot  Prince?" 

"Yes.  It  was  Skinney.  That  is  what  they  call  him. 
I  can  not  bear  to  hear  his  real  name  here,  so  I  have 
learned  to  call  him  that  too." 

They  had  been  silent  for  some  time,  when  Jack  sud- 
denly looked  up  and  said  peremptorily : 

"You  must  leave  here  or  I  shall  not  go." 

"What  possible  difference  can  it  make  to  you?    Go 

263 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6. 

back  to  the  girl  you  love  and  forget  that  I  am  here/' 
she  said,  somewhat  bitterly. 

"I  did  love  her — I  cannot  deny  that,  nor  do  I  wish 
to,  but,  Miss  Rutherford,  I  am  a  man  and  only  human, 
you  know.  She  has  what  you  have  lost — loving  par- 
ents, a  home — " 

"And  your  love,  which  is  more  than  all,"  she  in- 
terrupted. 

"Perhaps  not  to  her.  I  feel  pretty  sure  of  that 
now."  Then  suddenly,  "I  will  not  leave  this  country 
till  you  give  up  this  impossible  task.  I  know  a  man 
who  makes  his  home  in  these  parts.  I  did  him  a 
friendly  turn  once.  Through  him  I  will  try  and  keep 
track  of  your  foster  brother  and  should  he  need  help 
I  will  do  what  I  can  honorably  do,  for  him.  You  must 
go  back  to  your  home  and  be  as  happy  as  you  can — 
should  anything  happen  where  you  could  do  any  good 
for  Skinney,  I  will  let  you  know." 

For  a  few  minutes  she  sat  motionless  with  her  great 
eyes  looking  into  his  face,  then  answered: 

"I  will  only  go  when  you  are  in  a  condition  to  be 
left." 


264 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

TO  THE  EAST  COAST. 

Several  years  have  passed  since  the  judge  sentenced 
Tom  to  six  years  in  the  penitentiary.  Through  good 
behavior  his  sentence  was  shortened  and  he  is  again  a 
happy  man,  glad  to  live  in  the  freedom  of  the  moun- 
tains and  plains  of  what  he  calls  "God's  Country." 

The  trail  of  the  iron  horse  has  made  many  changes 
in  the  land  of  the  cowboy  and  the  outlaw,  the  gambler 
and  the  cattle  king.  In  the  mountains  where  none  but 
the  outlaw  and  the  wholesale  rustler  knew  the  trail 
that  wound  through  silent  grandeur  from  Canada  to 
Old  Mexico,  the  timid  settler  is  making  his  way. 
Small  ranches  dot  here  and  there  the  foothills  where 
but  a  few  short  years  ago  not  a  habitation  existed. 
Harve  and  his  gang  not  caring  for  neighbors,  left  the 
Hole-in--the-Wall  and  sought  better  ground  for  their 
midnight  escapades.  The  Northern  Pacific  in  Mon- 
tana is  thought  to  have  been  obliged  to  contribute  a 
little  of  its  wealth  to  the  cool,  daring  Harve,  who 

265 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6. 

could  sit  and  roll  his  cigarette  with  handcuffs  on,  with 
as  much  unconcern  as  on  the  mountain  where  he 
taught  his  men  to  act  quick  and  keep  cool  by  placing 
dummies  outside  the  cabin,  and  at  a  given  signal  run 
out  shooting  the  dummies  as  they  made  a  dash  for 
their  horses  which  were  kept  handy  in  case  of  a  sur- 
prise by  some  sheriff  who  was  hunting  glory  and 
usually  got  it  in  an  epitaph  on  his  headstone,  or  if  too 
poor  for  that,  in  a  little  item  of  his  town  paper;  for 
the  man  who  catches  Harve  Slogan  must  be  prepared 
to  hunt  big  game.  They  caught  him  once,  and  tried 
him,  and  gave  him  a  sentence  he  objected  to,  so  he 
"cut  it"  and  sailed  across  the  big  pond.  Of  his  pals 
who  helped  him  secure  the  treasures  of  the  Union 
Pacific,  one  served  time,  one  cracked  bank  safes  for  a 
living  till  a  bullet  from  the  rifle  of  a  sheriff  caused 
another  grave  to  be  filled  and  marked  unknown 
but  one  man,  who  gazed  long  at  the  thin  face  of  the 
outlaw  in  the  rough  pine  box,  went  to  the  little  rail- 
road station  and  sent  the  following  message  to  Jack 
Randolph,  at  Lusk : 

"We  planted  your  trouble  to-day.  I  did  what  I 
could  but  it  was  no  use." 

Zang  ran  from  a  man  with  a  star  under  his  coat  but 
the  man  with  the  star  had  a  good  horse  and  Zang 
pulled  his  gun  but  too  late;  a  bullet  came  singing  a 

266 


TO    THE    EAST   COAST. 

song  of  death  and  he  closed  his  black,  daring  eyes. 
Then  papers  told  the  people  Zang  Thompson  had  been 
killed  for  resisting  arrest  in  Arizona.  Of  the  others 
in  different  states  and  at  different  times  and  for  dif- 
ferent crimes  they  have  been  corralled.  On  the  JA6 
the  horses  are  being  gathered  for  another  round-up 
and  as  they  are  driven  into  the  corral,  men  come 
trooping  out  from  bunk  house  and  barn,  but  they  are 
all  strangers.  Only  one  familiar  voice  is  heard  in  the 
corral  among  the  snorting,  fighting  bronchs — good- 
hearted,  cigarette-puffing  Buck,  who  has  his  string 
caught  and  before  the  others  have  succeeded  in  snub- 
bing their  first,  is  fanning  a  wiry  wild-eyed  cayuse 
on  the  open  flat. 

Jack,  in  the  new  capacity  of  "Boss"  of  the  OIO, 
was  giving  directions  to  his  "reps"  as  to  the  "work- 
ing" of  the  various  round-ups,  also  the  branding  of 
calves,  etc.,  before  going  to  town  to  purchase  his 
spring  supplies  and  get  the  mail.  As  he  neared  the 
village,  some  one  riding  like  a  jockey,  on  a  racy-look- 
ing bay  horse,  waved  a  whip  then  slowed  up  to  allow 
Jack  to  overtake  him — he  recognized  Brownie. 

"How's  his  'disposition'?"  he  asked  the  jolly, 
brown-eyed  boy. 

"Couldn't  be  better,  Jack,  an'  I'm  tryin'  to  keep  it 

267 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6. 

good  till  the  races  at  'Frontier.'    Are  you  goin*  to  be 
in  town  to-night?" 

"Yes,  why?" 

"The  young  Boss  is  going*  to  get  spliced  to  his  little 
school  teacher,  and  he  thinks  it's  on  the  quiet." 

"What  are  you  telling  me?  Is  Peddy  going  to  be 
married  this  evening?" 

"Yes,  an'  we  are  goin'  to  ring  a  few  bells  an*  pound 
a  few  pans  to  let  him  know  he's  got  some  acquaint- 
ances left  in  this  here  vicinity." 

"All  right,  Brownie ;  count  on  me.  Are  any  of  the 
old  bunch  here  ?" 

"No — they're  mostly  scattered.  Slim,  the  cook,  he's 
a  fixture,  an'  Tuberculer,  he's  gone  back  to  his  dear 
East  to  cough  up  the  rest  of  his  lungs.  Buck  will  be 
in  charge  soon's  he  gets  back,  'til  Peddy  gets  home 
from  his  honeymoon." 

*  *  * 

Scarcely  had  the  words  that  made  Olive  Roy  and 
Alfred  Leslie  man  and  wife,  been  spoken  by  the  min- 
ister, when  a  terrible  din  was  heard  outside,  and  it 
did  not  diminish  in  the  least  till  the  smiling  bride- 
groom came  and  told  them  to  get  whatever  they  want- 
ed "on  him."  While  the  boys  were  getting  hilarious 
at  Peddy's  expense,  Jack  slipped  away  to  the  little 
hotel  to  read  his  mail. 

268 


TO    THE    EAST    COAST. 

The  first  letter  that  he  opened  was  written  in  a 
childish,  scrawling  hand,  and  as  he  read  he  smiled : 

"I  don't  like  it  here,  Jack.     I  have  to  ride  on 

the  street  cars  and  I'd  rather  ride  a  horse.    There 

is  more  children  here  than  there  is  Jack-rabbits 

there.    Mamma  used  to  tell  me  of  the  great  things 

in  the  big  cities  and  I  thought  I  would  like  so 

much  to  see  them,  but  every  time  you  go  to  see 

anything  great,  the  people  bunch  up  like  a  lot  of 

stampeded  'dogies'  an'  you  can't  breathe  an'  you 

wish  you  had  a  few  tons  of  Wyoming  air.    Jack, 

when  I  am  a  man,  I  am  goin'  to  live  out  West  on 

a  big  ranche  like  you  an'  Uncle  Peddy." 

"Poor  little  kid,  he  done  that  writin'  pretty  good. 

He  writes  that  Charles  Leslie,  Jr.,  just  like  /  showed 

him.    I  suppose  he  is  pretty  homesick.     I  don't  think 

you  will  always  ride  on  street  cars  or  in  the  crowded 

city,    little    feller,  'cause  your  father    was  born    an' 

raised  on  the  plains  an'  in  the  little  western  village, 

an'  I  don't  think  he'll  be  caught  dying  back  there  in 

the  city,  unless  he's  called  in  mighty  soon." 

From  his  pocket  he  took  another  letter — a  dainty, 
lavender-tinted  affair.  He  did  not  tear  -the  envelope 
as  he  had  done  the  other,  but  taking  his  pocket  knife, 
cut  it  open  very  carefully  at  the  end.  This  was  the 
first  letter  he  had  received  from  Vivian  since  he  had 

269 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6. 

sent  her  a  paper  announcing  the  engagement  of  Miss 
Sunshine  Golden  to  Mr.  Ralph  Gould,  and  he  knew 
that  she  would  feel  more  at  liberty  to  open  her  mind 
to  him  now  that  Sunshine  was  plighted  to  another. 

He  wanted  to  -read  the  letter  without  any  possible 
chance  of  being  disturbed,  so  locked  the  door. 
"My  dear  Jack : 

"I  cannot  tell  you  what  a  comfort  your  letter 
was  to  me.  I  have  been  very  much  disturbed  of 
late  on  account  of  a  threatened  strike  at  the 
woolen  mill  which  belongs  to  the  estate  left  me  by 
my  foster-father.  There  has  been  much  dissatis- 
faction among  the  employes  for  some  months 
and  I  have  received  several  threatening  letters  and 
am  very  uneasy.  For  some  reason,  I  would  feel  at 
liberty  to  ask  your  advice  if  I  saw  things  coming 
to  the  worst — a  strike — I  know  you  would  under- 
stand the  situation  much  better  than  I.  I  do  not 
trust  my  superintendent  and  cannot  believe  but 
that  he  is  the  cause  of  all  the  unrest. 

"Please  let  me  hear  from  you,  and  if  things 
grow  worse,  will  wire. 

"Sincerely, 

"Vivian  Rutherford." 
Graycrest — Tuesday. 
L. Mass. 

270 


TO    THE    EAST    COAST. 

For  some  time  he  sat  in  disturbed  thought,  then 
suddenly  realized  that  valuable  time  was  flying.  Tilt- 
ing his  hat  a  little  rakishly  to  one  side,  he  muttered : 
"Me  for  the  east  coast!" 

It  was  a  good  while  before  he  found  the  ranchman 
that  had  come  in  to  take  out  the  four-horse  load  of 
supplies.  After  a  long  search  he  found  him  in  the 
hay-loft  of  the  livery  stable,  somewhat  the  worse  for 
the  shiveree. 

"Slivers!"  he  called.  "Slivers!  Wake  up  and  get 
yourself  together.  I'm  agoin'  away  on  the  train  in  the 
morning  an'  I  want  to  talk  to  you."  Slivers  only 
rolled  over  and  snored  a  little  louder. 

"Slivers,  you  drunken  idiot,  come  out  of  it !  I  want 
to  start  for  the  east  coast  to-morrow  an'  I  must  talk 
to  you." 

Slivers  wasn't  too  drunk  to  understand  the  words 
"east  coast"  spoken  in  too  earnest  a  tone  to  sound  like 
a  jest,  and  immediately  sat  up  rubbing  his  eyes. 

"What  in  h-11  you  goin'  do  down  east  coast,  Boss  ?" 

"I  have  some  business  down  there,  Slivers." 

"How  long  will  you  be  gone,  Boss?" 

"I  can't  say — but  will  depend  on  you  keeping  me 
posted  about  the  ranch  and  I  want  you  to  get  the 
wagon  loaded  early  so  I  can  get  through  here  and 
leave  on  the  east  bound  train." 

271 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6. 

"I'll  do  the  best  I  can,  but  I  ain't  much  on  'pen- 
pushinV  " 

"I'll  make  it  out  all  right ;  now  there's  something  I 
want  to  tell  you.  I  have  always  felt  I  could  bank  on 
you  an'  I  may  need  you,  so  if  I  send  you  a  hurry-up 
call,  don't  stand  round  some  city  readin'  signs — hit  the 
trail  an'  hit  her  hard — don't  let  the  grass  grow  over 
your  spurs,  an'  don't  stop  for  the  price  of  a  few 
'dogies'  but  point  your  nose  due  east  an'  sift.  I  may 
not  need  you  but  am  givin'  these  pointers  in  case  I  do. 
Now  don't  drink  another  drop ;  keep  on  your  feet  an' 
keep  your  head  up.  You  better  go  to  the  hotel  and 
get  a  bed." 

"I  don't  want  no  bed — I  rather  sleep  here  with  the 
bronchs — but  what's  the  nature  of  the  disturbance 
you're  lookin'  for,  Boss  ?" 

"A  strike  in  a  woolen  mill." 

"How  in  the  mischief  did  you  get  mixed  in  any 
wollen-mill  deal?" 

"The  owner  is  a  friend  of  mine  and  I  must  see 
her  through  it." 

"Oh,  it's  a  her,  eh?  All  right  Boss.  I'm  yours  for 
trouble ;  my  Ireland  blood  yearns  for  it." 

"Now  Slivers,  are  you  sober  enough  to  remember 
what  I've  told  you  ?" 

"Every  word,  Boss,  even  the  her." 

272 


TO    THE    EAST   COAST. 

"All  right  then;  I'll  go  to  bed.  One  thing  more: 
don't  drink  a  drop  till  you  hear  from  me,  do  you 
hear?" 

"I'm  weaned  till  you're  back  in  the  saddle,  Mr. 
Randolph." 

They  shook  hands,  and  "the  Boss"  went  back  to  his 
hotel  feeling  much  easier,  for  he  knew  that  dearly  as 
Slivers  loved  his  "rye  juice"  he  .would  keep  his  word. 


273 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

CONCLUSION. 

The  manufacturing  city  of  L was  wrapped 

in  sleep  when  the  train  that  brought  Jack  pulled  in 
to  thje  station.  He  took  a  cab  to  a  nearby  hotel,  and 
being  a  little  hungry  inquired  if  he  could  procure 
something  to  eat.  A  porter  directed  him  to  the  cafe, 
and  the  tired  traveler  after  giving  his  order,  sat  back 
in  the  comfortable  upholstered  chair  to  wait  for  the 
food  to  be  brought  in. 

The  tables  were  in  little  booths  or  stalls,  and  he 
heard  two  men  talking  in  the  one  next  his.  One  voice 
was  quiet  and  smooth,  the  other  coarse  and  rasping. 

The  waiter  came  in,  and  after  placing  everything 
conveniently  on  the  table,  was  told  to  retire. 

Jack  had  eaten  his  light  meal  and  was  getting  ready 
to  enjoy  a  smoke  when  he  heard  the  man  with  the 
rough  voice  in  the  next  booth  repeat  the  name  of 
Rutherford.  The  match  he  held  burned  down  to  his 
fingers  without  his  knowing  it,  and  went  out,  but  still 
he  held  it  up  to  the  cigar  just  where  it  had  been  when 
he  heard  the  name  of  the  woman  he  had  come  to  help. 

274 


CONCLUSION. 

The  shoving  back  of  chairs  warned  him  the  occu- 
pants were  leaving.  He  turned  his  back  toward  the 
entrance  in  case  they  should  look  that  way  and  see  his 
face — he  did  not  know  why,  but  he  did  not  want  this 
to  happen. 

When  he  was  sure  they  were  gone,  he  rang  for  the 
waiter,  and  slipping  a  crisp  bill  into  his  hand,  asked  if 
he  knew  the  parties  who  had  just  left  the  booth  next 
to  his.  On  being  told  that  one  was  Mr.  Garrett,  Sup- 
erintendent of  the  woolen  mills  now  owned  by  Miss 
Rutherford,  he  asked : 

"Did  you  ever  see  the  other  before?" 

"No  sir." 

"May  I  step  into  the  next  booth  a  minute  ?" 

"As  long  as  you  like,  sir." 

One  side  of  the  table  showed  remnants  of  a  sump- 
tuous meal,  and  on  the  other,  a  plate  of  cakes  and  a 
small  bottle  of  wine  from  which  scarcely  any  had  been 
taken.  A  strong  odor  of  whiskey  permeated  the  at- 
mosphere. 

He  felt  that  Fate  or  Providence  must  be  guiding  his 
steps,  and  this  occurance  might  prove  of  some  value 
later,  for  he  did  not  like  the  tone  of  the  coarse  voice, 
and  the  conversation  had  not  been  favorable  to  Miss 
Rutherford. 

On  leaving  the  cafe  and  retiring  to  his  room,  he 
turned  out  the  light,  when  a  rap  sounded  on  his  door. 

275 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6. 

Opening  it,  he  saw  the  waiter  he  had  tipped  so  gener- 
ously, standing  before  him,  with  a  small  bunch  of 
crumpled  paper  in  his  hand. 

"I  found  this  under  the  table  where  the  rough  guy 
sat." 

The  paper  was  written  in  a  scrawling  fashion  that 
showed  unmistakable  evidence  of  being  disguised. 

"Meet  me  at  the  entrance  of  the    C Hotel 

and  I  will  tell  you  my  plans — everything  must  be  in 
readiness  by  Friday,  for  she  has  telegraphed  a  fellow 
out  West  to  come  here;  we  don't  know  anything 
about  him  and  she  must  think  he  can  help  her,  or  she 
would  not  wire  him.  She  sent  the  message  this  morn- 
ing and  that  will  give  us  time  to  act  before  he  gets 
here." 

There  was  no  signature  but  Jack  knew  who  must 
have  written  it. 

"Well  you  are  a  little  too  late,  pard — I'm  on  the 
ground,"  and  going  to  the  telephone  he  asked  Central 
to  give  him  the  telegraph  office,  and  sent  the  follow- 
ing: 

"Slivers— OIO  bar  Ranch,  Lusk,  Wyo. 
"Come,  and  come  quick ;  wire  when  you  start  and 
I  will  meet  you  in  B. 

Jack  R. 
"Delivery  charges  guaranteed." 

276 


CONCLUSION. 

He  scarcely  knew  what  to  do;  if  he  saw  Vivian  he 
would  be  at  a  disadvantage  for  he  wanted  to  go  to  the 
mill  and  find  out  himself  what  was  the  cause  of  the 
trouble. 

As  soon  as  the  shops  were  open  in  the  morning,  he 
got  his  friend,  the  waiter,  to  get  him  a  suit  of  work- 
ing clothes  such  as  the  hands  in  the  mills  wore,  and 
attired  in  them,  he  applied  for  a  position. 

Fortune  smiled  on  him,  and  he  secured  a  place  as 
porter  for  the  offices.  He  was  to  keep  them  clean  and 
answer  the  door,  and  should  visitors  come,  it  would  be 
his  duty  to  show  them  over  the  mill. 

He  had  scarcely  become  established  in  his  new 
quarters  when  he  was  brought  face  to  face  with  the 
owner  of  the  repulsive  voice,  and  as  he  now  saw,  more 
repulsive  face.  He  asked  for  the  Superintendent.  Jack 
ushered  him  into  the  office  and  watched  the  face  of  Mr. 
Garrett  closely  when  he  announced  the  caller  who  had 
given  the  name  of  Andrew  Clark.  The  Superintend- 
ent dismissed  Jack  and  told  him  to  see  that  no  one 
disturbed  them. 

"No  one  shall  disturb  you,  'sup,"  he  said  to  him- 
self, "  'cause  I'm  goin'  to  hear  this  conversation,"  and 
with  that,  stepped  quietly  into  a  cupboard  in  the  wall 
of  the  outer  office. 

Only  a  thin  partition  kept  out  the  sound  from  the 

277 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6. 

private  office  and  the  conversation  he  so  much  wished 
to  hear.  He  shut  the  door  of  the  cupboard  to  deaden 
the  noise  from  the  outside,  and  pressed  his  ear  hard 
against  the  thin  boards. 

A  slight  sound  at  his  side  caused  him  to  turn  quick- 
ly, and  to  his  horror  he  saw  in  the  fast  darkening 
room,  another  form  get  into  the  cupboard  quietly,  and 
shut  itself  in.  He  knew  he  must  prevent  an  outcry  in 
case  this  occupant  should  discover  his  presence.  Slow- 
ly and  breathlessly  he  drew  his  gun  from  a  scabbard 
inside  the  bosom  of  his  shirt.  Reaching  forward  with 
his  gun  he  touched  the  man,  and  whispered : 

"Not  a  sound  or  there'll  be  trouble — what  are  you 
doing  here  ?" 

"What  are  you  doing  here?"  whispered  the  strange 
voice. 

"I'm  'here  to  look  out  for  the  interests  of  a  friend — 
she's  in  trouble,"  Jack  said,  not  realizing  he  had  used 
a  give-away  pronoun. 

"As  long  as  it's  a  'she'  you  can  mean  no  one  else  but 
Miss  Rutherford,  so  I  can  safely  tell  you  I'm  here  for 
the  same  purpose — let's  shake,"  and  after  jiu  jitsuing 
around  in  the  semi-darkness  for  each  other's  hand, 
Jack,  in  a  much  relieved  tone,  said  : 

"Then  we're  friends." 

The  men  in  the  office  talked  louder  now  and  they 
could  easily  catch  the  drift  of  the  conversation. 

278 


CONCLUSION. 

"Get  the  men  to  walk  out  Friday  and  tell  them  to 
ask  for  a  twenty  per  cent  raise,  and  I  will  get  her  to 
refuse,  and  then  discouraged  and  before  we  get 
through  with  her  she  will  be  glad  to  sell  for  any  price 
we  want  to  offer." 

The  rest  of  the  conversation  they  could  not  hear, 
but  they  had  heard  enough.  Noiselessly,  the  two  left 
the  cupboard  and  the  outer  office. 

"Who  are  you  ?"  Jack  asked  the  other. 

"An  engineer  of  the  mill.     And  you?" 

"An  old  friend  of  Miss  Rutherford's." 

"Then  you're  not  a  detective?" 

"No." 

"Miss  Rutherford  is  a  good  woman,  but  the  'sup'  is 
a  heartless  brute.  She  is  good  to  the  people  here,  but 
he  lies  to  them  about  her.  Come  with  me  till  they 
leave  the  mill  and  I  will  show  you  something." 

He  led  Jack  through  large  rooms  and  down  many 
steps  to  the  engine  room  where  he  secured  a  lantern, 
but  did  not  light  it  until  they  were  in  a  small  dark 
passage.  At  the  end  of  this  he  reached  back  under 
some  protruding  blocks  of  cement  and  pulled  out  a 
box ;  lifting  the  lantern  so  the  light  would  flash  on  it, 
he  raised  the  lid.  Jack  was  fairly  staggered  at  the 
sight — it  was  filled  with  bright  yellow  gold  coins. 

279 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6. 

"This  is  what  is  causing  the  trouble ;  he  is  stealing- 
it  from  the  men,  and  they  think  they  are  poorly  paid. 
I  would  have  told  her,  but  she  would  not  believe  it 
and  if  I  told  them,  he  would  say  7  had  stolen  it." 

On  Friday  morning  Jack  got  the  engineer  to  write 
a  note  to  Miss  Rutherford  asking  her  to  come  to  the 
mill  at  two  o'clock  as  it  was  vitally  important.  And 
leaving  it  to  him  to  pass  the  word  to  the  heads  of  each 
department  that  the  wage  question  would  be  settled 

satisfactorily  to  the  employes,  he  went  to  B 

to  meet  Slivers. 

When  the  word  had  been  passed  and  just  as  the 
clock  in  the  mill  struck  two,  the  employes  started 
leaving — Garret  and  his  friend  Clark  supposed,  to 
strike. 

Miss  Rutherford's  carriage  drove  up  to  the  steps 
and  as  she  got  out,  Jack  and  Slivers  came  from  the 
mill,  and  the  former  stepping  forward,  assisted  her  up 
the  steps,  and  told  her  in  an  undertone  not  to  say  any- 
thing now,  but  to  do  as  he  asked ;  going  a  little  to  the 
front  of  the  platform,  he  said  : 

"People  of  the  mill :  You  have  been  called  out  to 
strike  because  your  wages  were  not  what  they  should 
be;  you  work  hard  and  your  families'  needs  de- 
mand that  you  ask  for  better  wages ;  it  is  only  right 
and  just  that  you  should  get  them." 

080 


CONCLUSION. 

Garrett  and  Clark  looked  at  each  other  with  satis- 
faction, for  they  did  not  recognize  the  porter  but 
thought  this  strange  westerner  was  really  in  sym- 
pathy with  thfe  strikers. 

"I  am  positive  Miss  Rutherford  desires  you  should 
get  the  wages  you  deserve,  and  you  shall  have  them. 
What  wages  are  they  getting?" 

Garrett  started  forward,  talking  quickly  and  loudly : 

"Miss  Rutherford  should  be  spared  such  scenes  as 
this.  She  knows  nothing  of  the  business  affairs  of  the 
mill." 

"Stand  back  where  you  are,  Garrett,"  demanded 
Jack,  drawing  his  big  Colts  gun. 

"Now,  Miss  Rutherford,  proceed." 

"The  men  receive  fifteen  dollars  and  the  women  ten 
dollars." 

"It's  a  lie!  It's  a  lie!"  came  from  a  hundred 
throats. 

Vivian  looked  from  the  crowd  to  Jack  then  to  Gar- 
rett who  with  his  companion  was  edging  toward  the 
gates. 

"Stop!"  sang  out  Slivers.  "Stop  where  you  are; 
this  thing  goes  off  some  times  an'  it's  dangerous," 
leveling  his  gun  at  the  pair. 

Two  men  stepped  out  of  the  mill,  carrying  a  heavy 
box ;  as  they  came  in  view  a  cry  escaped  from  Garrett 
the  "Superintendent  thief." 

281 


THE    FOREMAN    OF    THE    JA6. 

"Here  are  your  wages,  men;  they  have  been  saved 
for  you?"  (with  a  questioning  raise  of  the  voice)  "by 
Mr.  Garrett,"  pointing  to  the  crouching  figure  beside 
Clark. 

Cries  of  joy  were  mingled  with  curses  as  the  box 
was  carried  back  out  of  sight  by  the  two  who  had  car- 
ried it  to  the  platform. 

Jack  held  up  his  hand  and  the  noise  ceased  imme- 
diately. 

"I  wish  to  say  for  Miss  Rutherford  that  you  will 
get  what  rightly  belongs  to  you  as  soon  as  we  can  find 
that  out  from  the  pay  roll.  Now  if  you  will  trust  Miss 
Rutherford  and  myself,  I  promise  we  will  see  that 
you  will  get  what  is  right,"  and  handing  Vivian  into 
her  carriage,  he  commissioned  Slivers  to  be  sure  she 
reached  her  home  safely,  where  he  would  join  them  as 
soon  as  he  had  seen  that  Garrett  was  "taken  care  of." 

A  few  hours  later  Jack  Randolph  found  himself 
ringing  timidly  at  the  door  of  Vivian's  home.  When 
he  entered,  she  held  out  her  hands,  shyly: 

"Jack !"  was  all  she  could  say. 

He  saw  a  strange,  yet  familiar  light  in  her  eyes,  and 
closing  the  door,  they  entered  a  new — no — ever  old 
garden  of  dreams,  where  the  world,  with  its  trials  and 
difficulties^  was  soon  forgotten. 

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